The War Bride
by LotornoMiko
Summary: Lezard Lenneth pairing, rewrite of an old story of mine. Down and defeated, the Aesir are forced to make concession to the slayer of their King. Lenneth finds herself offered up as a war prize to the murderer.
1. Chapter 1

Standard Disclaimer Time! I'm afraid I don't own Lezard and Lenneth, or any of the characters and realms of Valkyrie Profile. That honor belongs to Tri Ace and Square Enix. I also do not make any money off of this fic. This is done purely for entertainment purposes.

Some of you might be familiar with this story. I think I first started this either in 2007, or 2008. I was happy with the first chapter, but rushed to write the continuation. And I absolutely HATED what I had written. It made me cringe with embarrassment just to think about chapters 2 and 3. And so I never worked on the story again...until now, when I decided to rewrite it. I got up to 10.5 KB on the rewrite of 2, when I realized part of chapter one needed to be written as well, the whole wedding ceremony. But it's okay! I think it's improved, since warbride was probably the first wedding scene I ever wrote. I've since had a lot of practice in another fandom for wedding scenes, though I still don't like writing them that much.

I hope it won't disappoint the people who liked the original Warbride, and I'm leaving the original up in case you want to see the changes I made to this and future chapters. Chapter 2 is vastly different already in it's half done state. It's a Lenneth point of view instead of Lezard's for one thing. ^_- So anyway, sit back, read, maybe review if you care too (I'd love it if you did and it helps keep me motivated.) and hopefully enjoy!

-Michelle/Lotornomiko

The private bathing chambers of the Goddess Freya were a sight to behold. Immense in size, with four huge pillars of ivory, that were situated in each corner. They held up a domed ceiling, it's mirror center reflecting it's sheen directly over the waters, so that the bather found themselves surrounded in endless blue. One wall had been converted into a miniature waterfall, with it's clear water running down into the swimming pool sized tub. Pastel tiles of purple and blue intermixed with the ivory white on the floor leading into the water, and lovely murals of happy times of various gods decorated the walls.

It was an elegant room, large and far too grand for the simple task of bathing. But then Freya had always been one for grandiose displays, showing off her status in the Aesir pantheon. The beauty of the chamber was currently lost on it's sole occupant, the soothing sound of the waterfall being interrupted by the splish splash of someone moving about, and a loud sigh of frustration.

It was not Freya who bathed this day, but a lesser Goddess, a Valkyrie named Lenneth. She had a frown on her face, as she waded to the pool's edge, intending to rest on the marble steps. The water flowed just over her breasts, leaving the tops and her shoulders bare, and flowers drifted by, their scent heavy and heady, flavoring the water and her skin with their fragrance.

Lenneth had dismissed the attendants that hovered around her, wishing to be left alone with her thoughts. She didn't like being pampered, was unused to such treatment, being fawned over like a prized pet. The einherjar had stroked her hair, winding shampoo through it's silken strands, and caressed her skin with sponges and soap, intent on making her squeaky clean. It only made her feel like a sacrifice being made ready for the altar. Lenneth let out another sigh, realizing she was indeed that, a concession of war, a prize freely given up to ensure the Aesir's continued survival.

It had occurred so suddenly, Lenneth barely had time to process all that had happened. She remembered waking up from her slumber, summoned by Freya. The golden haired Goddess had not looked her best, resting on her knees, struggling to stay up right. She still looked regal, even though her dress had been in tatters, and there had been dirt on her face. The Goddess had been in a vicious battle, one she had not emerged from as the victor, but as the loser. It shocked Lenneth to see her like this, and she had demanded to know who had done this, who was capable of harming the Lady Freya.

She got her answer in the form of a name she had never before heard. Lezard...Lezard Valeth. Her mouth had surely dropped open in shock as Freya spun a tale of a mortal man becoming a God, stealing Odin's power, and claiming Gungnir for his own. If she had been staring mouth a gape at Freya beforehand, surely the look on her face must have been comical indeed to learn this new God had issued one, and only one condition for sparing the Vanir Maiden and her Aesir followers. He had demanded Lenneth be summoned, and given unto him. What other choice did Freya have but to comply? Lenneth understood this, and knew that the whole history of the Gods was littered with arranged marriages and forced unions. But deep down, in her heart she found it hard to accept. Why her, why put the burden of what happens to her fellow Gods on her shoulders?

Lenneth sighed again, ducking her head underneath the water. She stayed under for several minutes, and it was with a gasp that she came up, tossing silver blue hair over her shoulder. Her hands came up to her face, wiping away the water in her eyes. Her vision cleared just in time to see Freya enter the room. The Goddess was subdued, her recent loss making her humble. She found it hard to look Lenneth in the face, feeling ashamed of the deal she had brokered. And rightfully so, thought Lenneth privately, turning away from her old friend.

"Lenneth..." Freya said, saddened to see the young Goddess turn her back to her.

"What is it?" Lenneth asked, her tone frosty.

"I...just wanted to see how you are doing..." Freya knelt down by the edge of the pool, letting the fingers of one hand stroke the rippling surface.

"I'm fine." Came her curt answer.

"Are you really?" wondered Freya out loud.

Water sloshed about as Lenneth spun around to face her, cerulean eyes flashing with anger. "I'm as well as can be expected under these circumstances!" The Goddess' face was solemn in comparison to the Valkyrie's rage. "Don't give me that look." Lenneth told her. "I can't bear to see your fake sadness."

"It's not faked." Freya replied, a frown on her face. "I truly regret the decision I had to make. Believe me...it was not one I made lightly."

"I...I know that..." Lenneth said, appearing slightly mollified. "I just wish I had been consulted before you agreed to this...Lezard's demands." She gave a shake of her head, realizing she would not have chosen differently if the fate of the Aesir had been left to her to decide.

"Would that all hostages had a choice in the manner..." murmured Freya, and for a brief second pain appeared in her emerald eyes. Once upon a time, she too had been given up to end a war, a time when her father and sister Frei were traded by the Vanir to the Aesir as a peace offering. Lenneth seemed to sense her thoughts, for she next asked, "How did you do it? Freya...how did you come to grips with your situation?"

"It wasn't easy..." Freya sounded tired. "I had my sister and father here to comfort me, so it wasn't all that bad. And Odin is...was..." She corrected herself, stifling back a sob as she thought of her dead lover. "Was handsome and charming..."

"Hmph..." Lenneth scoffed, hands going to rest on her hips as she looked at the Fertility Goddess. "I won't be swayed so easily by good looks and a silver tongue."

"You'll be unhappy if you don't come to accept your situation...make the best of it..." replied Freya, ignoring the insolence in Lenneth's words.

"Oh I've accepted it..." Lenneth said sourly. "I just don't have to like it!" She slapped her hand in the water, droplets spraying upwards from the force of her fist. Freya sighed, shaking her head at the Valkyrie's small display of tantrum. "It might not be so bad..."

"Freya, he's a mortal!"

"Mortal no longer..." The Fertility Goddess reminded her.

"Yes, because of power he stole...Both Odin and my sister...gone!" Lenneth said, wondering what had befallen Silmeria. "Am I too to suffer their fate...?"

"I don't think so..." It was Freya's turn to look away. "The way he spoke of you..." Lenneth's eyes were boring into her, though she did her best to avoid meeting them.

"Besides..." Freya said, thinking it best to change the subject. "I don't think he intends to assimilate any more Gods...not unless we force his hand."

"How did he speak of me?" asked Lenneth, not willing to drop the issue.

"..."

"Freya tell me!" Lenneth ordered, moving closer to the Goddess.

"He spoke...almost like a man possessed..." The words came out reluctantly. "As though he truly cared about you..."

Lenneth frowned. "How can that be? I've never met him before..."

"He seemed to know you quite well." Emerald eyes turned calculating. "Are you quite certain you've never heard of him before this day?" Lenneth let out a scoff. "I'm positive I don't know this man, Lezard, at all."

"Hmmm..."

"I truly don't!" insisted Lenneth.

"I believe you." Freya paused, cocking her head to the side, as though listening for something. "Come..." She held out her hand to the submerged Goddess. "..The day grows late and our...guest grows impatient." Lenneth stared at the outstretched hand a moment, before reluctantly taking it. She allowed Freya to guide her up the stairs, onto the tiles, where she stood, naked, and dripping wetly onto the floor. A large white towel was conjured, and Lenneth wrapped it around herself, patting her body dry.

The two Goddesses walked out of the bathing chamber, into the adjacent room. It was much smaller, a dressing room, filled with comfortable chairs and lounges, and an array of dresses hanging on one wall. A gorgeous white dress was propped up on a wooden mannequin in the center of the room, the bodice encrusted with tiny diamonds all the way down to the waist. Lenneth ignored this dress, going to sit down at the small vanity. She stared glumly at her reflection, watching over her shoulder as Freya approached her.

"Do you need help with your hair?" Freya asked, running fingers through the wet strands of Lenneth's silver blue hair. They slid easily through, the silken locks being tangle free.

"I can manage..." Lenneth said with a slight shake of her head. She pulled her hair forward over her shoulder, separating it into three parts. She began making the braid she usually wore her hair in, still watching Freya's reflection nervously pace behind her.

"It's a beautiful dress..." The Goddess said, stopping before the mannequin. Her hands hovered over the diamonds, a hairsbreadth away from touching the twinkling stones.

"I'd rather wear my armor." Lenneth said, clearly not sharing the blonde's opinion of the gown. She was surprised to hear Freya let out a laugh.

"It is not to battle you go to, Lenneth!"

"It certainly feels like it to me..." Lenneth said glumly, having noted her armor had been removed from the room. Her hand clenched on her own hair, longing for the feel of her sword's pommel. To feel her blade, unsheathed in her hand would have been of great comfort to the girl just then.

"Well...the mortals do have a saying..." Freya said, trying to sound wise. "Love is a battlefield..."

"It's not love!" Lenneth turned around to glare at the older woman. "It's one human's sickening lust at best!"

"I..." Freya bowed her head in apology. "Forgive me...I did not mean to imply..." Lenneth turned back to the mirror, blue eyes troubled. "Perhaps you should get dressed."

"Musn't keep Lezard waiting..." Lenneth answered bitterly. She let out an angry sounding growl, feeling as though these minutes were her last as a free woman. The Valkyrie finished up her hair, and rose from her seat, letting her towel drop to the floor. She quickly slipped into her bra and panties, pulling a slip on over her under things. She then walked towards the center of the room where Freya already had the gown unbuttoned, and was pulling it free of the mannequin. Lenneth reached out with a hand, touching the heavy skirt, feeling it's soft velvet material.

"It really is lovely..." Freya tried again. A noncommittal noise was all the answer she got from Lenneth. The Valkyrie held up her arms, allowing Freya to slip the dress up over her head. It slid down her body, and the Vanir hurried to do up the buttons. It was a snug fit, being formfitting to the waist, the bodice off the shoulder, with a generous dip in the front to show off ample cleavage. It's sleeves were short, just a few inches of cloth. Elbow length gloves, and a swatch of white silk for her neck being accessories to the gown.

"You make a lovely bride..." commented Freya, and Lenneth was surprised to see a hint of tears in the Goddess' eyes.

"...Thank you..." Lenneth said at last, feeling absolutely ridiculous in this white get up. She shook her head when Freya approached her with a veil, the sheer length of gauze being attached to a tiny crown of silver. "I would rather face him head on, then hide behind that cloth..."

"As you wish..." Freya turned, and set it down on a nearby table. She turned back to the Valkyrie, and once again took her arm. The golden haired Goddess hadn't been doing much teleporting since her defeat, but this time she spared no expense in power. Bells rang, as the air shimmered around them. Lenneth dully watched as the colors of the room blurred, mixing together, even as she felt the jarring sense of being pulled through the air. The two teleported out of Vingolf, the abode known as the hall of the Aesir Goddesses, and into one of the many halls of Valhalla. Odin's throne room was vacant, it's current state of disrepair making it unsafe and unsuitable for this somber occasion.

Lenneth blinked, not recognizing the room they found themselves in, and not really caring. Instead she looked around at the small crowd gathered there, eyes seeking out the one unfamiliar face among the Aesir. Her eyes landed on the back of a well dressed man clad in a midnight blue cape. He was turning slowly, an expectant look in his eyes. She was surprised to see him wearing glasses, but even more taken aback by the fact he didn't seem overtly sinister in appearance. He looked almost...gentle, he certainly didn't look like the type who could stage a successful coup against the Gods, let alone subdue ones as powerful as Odin and Freya.

His eyes landed on her, and his lips twisted up into a smile, and she shivered at the dark look he flashed her. He was looking at her with open hunger, not bothering to conceal his desire. It was enough to make her take a step back in nervous apprehension, even as he approached. She had time to take in other details about him, see his brown hair, short in the back, with long bangs that fell messily over his eyes. And his eyes! As he drew closer she was mesmerized to see a beautiful shade of purple, the likes of which she had never before glimpsed, except in amethyst stones.

"Lenneth..." His voice was rich and cultured, with just a hint of arrogance to it. Though she had to admit she might be biased when it came to judging him. She supposed it was pleasant enough, she certainly liked the way her name sounded when it rolled off his tongue. There was also warmth in his tone, and she found her hands quickly taken by his, wrists captured in his much larger grip. He swiftly pulled her into his embrace, much to her embarrassment. "How I've waited for this moment..." He whispered, a kiss gracing her ear lobe.

Lenneth was turning her head away, glancing as best she could over her shoulder to Freya. The golden haired Goddess stood behind the hugging pair, looking lost and helpless. Lenneth flashed her a look as though to say, "This is who you handed me over to?" The Valkyrie was uncomfortable with the ease and familiarity in which the new God addressed her with, her body stiffening in his arms. He seemed not to notice, or perhaps, she thought with dismay, he just didn't care. He certainly didn't seem to mind showing off his apparent affection for her in front of the gathered Gods and Goddesses. Lenneth's cheeks flamed red, two bright points of color on her skin. Freya at last took pity on the young Goddess, and coughed pointedly.

The sound seemed to be enough to garner Lezard's attention, and he fixed cool eyes on Freya as he pulled away from Lenneth's body. His hands lingered though, sliding slowly off her waist, fingers caressing as though he could not get enough of touching her. Once free of him, Lenneth quickly averted her face, focusing all her attention on Freya. The golden haired Goddess was nervously twitching her hands, green eyes a mixture of sadness and anger as she approached the pair.

"Let's get this over with..." Lezard said, sounding bored. Lenneth watched as the Vanir maiden narrowed her eyes at the new God. She gave a toss of her head, blonde hair flying, as she took on a haughty tone of voice. "Marriage vows are not something to take lightly."

"I agreed to this little ceremony...did I not?" He demanded.

"Only because I wanted to ensure your intentions toward Lenneth were..." She stumbled over the words, muttering under her breath. "...true and good."

"Whatever..." Lezard said mockingly. "I don't need a show of ceremony to claim what's mine." Lenneth jerked back at that, turning to give him an angry look. He merely turned and smiled at her, patting her hand as though to reassure her. It only made her glare harder at him, thinking her early assessment of him as being arrogant was true indeed. Her right hand clenched into a fist, and she fought not to give in to the temptation to punch him, wishing to see that smirking smile wiped off his face.

Grumbles from the crowd alerted them to their angry audience. "But...do go on, if it will put the lot of you at ease..." Lezard acquiesced, with a tiny nod of his head.

Freya almost bit her tongue, fighting back a sarcastic response to this infuriating man. Instead she gestured them towards the altar up on the stone dais. As a show of strength, she teleported once again, appearing on the other side of it. The Vanir was solemn as she gazed at the approaching pair, Lezard's steps confident and sure, Lenneth trailing a step behind him, slow and reluctant.

Weddings among the Gods were often lavish affairs, with much feasting and drinking to be held. The Aesir did love an excuse to celebrate, and the only thing that could compare to the festive mood of a wedding, was a particularly triumphant victory among their battlefields. This wedding today, was neither lavish, nor festive, the mood somber, angry tension filling the room. The Gods here remembered their loss, remembered and resented it.

They might even resent handing Lenneth over to the one who had defeated them, but it seemed none dare risk Lezard's anger in protesting. Freya herself, had her lips pursed together, as though trying to hide the angry glower that was festering inside her. With Odin slain, it was up to Freya to officiate over the happenings of this day, the Goddess seeming put upon in her role as Minster.

Freya hadn't even dressed up for this wedding, none of the Gods had, many of them still wearing the dirty and tattered remains of their outfits. Lenneth had no doubt they had gotten that way battling with Lezard, a realization that had the young Goddess eyeing him with renewed interest. He didn't look like much of a fighter, but she very well knew that gentle looking demeanor could hide the monster capable of slaying Odin.

She was aware of both Freya speaking, and Lezard's smile becoming more pronounced. He had noticed her study of him, and it seemed to please him. Lenneth kept her gaze impassive, letting him think he merited no thought at all to her. And certainly not a smile in return!

Freya was launching into a shortened version of one of Odin's ceremonial speeches. Odin had always been one to like the sound of his own voice, droning on and on for longer than appropriate. Lenneth wasn't sure if she should be grateful that Freya was shortening the ceremony, the Goddess not wanting to think what would happen after they were wed. Nor did she want to spend an eternity standing up before the entirety of the Aesir, their sympathetic gazes on her.

There was no one to give Lenneth away, no father to call upon, though in a way she reasoned that all the Gods were handing her over to Lezard. Freya wisely chose to skip over that formality, calling instead on Sjofn's name. There was an implied insult in using Sjofn in the ceremony, she was after all a Goddess who resided over HUMANS' passions. Freya was subtly mocking Lezard for his mortal beginnings, and if he realized it, he made no complaint.

No, he was too busy staring at Lenneth, gaze smoldering with an intense heat, one that had her skin do a crawl in response. Lenneth was not pleased to be the recipient of such a look, finding it a struggle to maintain a bored, uninterested expression.

"Sjofn!" Freya's voice echoed loudly in the high ceiling room. "We call upon you, kindler of desire, bringer of love to join us here, and witness the bonding of Lenneth Valkyrie and Lezard Valeth."

Sjofn wasn't expected to answer, she had no speaking role in this ceremony, although she did approach the altar. In her hands was several silk scarves, all of different colors. The colors normally represented the hopes and dreams the guests had for the couple about to be wed, but Lenneth couldn't imagine the Aesir wishing Lezard well.

There was a subtle tensing of Lezard's arm, though he didn't look at the approaching Sjofn. He seemed reluctant to cease looking at Lenneth, an open yearning in his eyes as though she was the only one in the room that truly mattered to him. Such a thought unnerved her, Lenneth spying Freya with a steel dagger in her hand. It was that dagger that got Lezard to react, ether flaring up along his right hand and arm.

Lenneth tore her gaze away from Lezard to look at the Vanir Maiden in alarm. Her mouth started to open, the first words she would speak in this Lezard's presence a protest. "Freya...no...Anything but that!"

Freya's looked back at her, emerald eyes saddened by what she must do. Lenneth was stiffening, even as her body poised to run, and it was Lezard who grabbed her by the wrist, holding her hand steady for the slash of the dagger. The entire time, he kept that threat of ether up, a warning to Freya to not turn the dagger against him with deadly intent.

Somehow Lezard tolerated the blonde Goddess slashing open his palm, and it was then that their bleeding hands were forced to clasp one another. Lenneth looked not at Lezard, but at their joined hands, feeling the horror wash through her. A blood oath. They had bound her to him with a blood oath, an unbreakable bond that would tie them together for all eternity, for good or for bad.

Lenneth both wanted to sag to her knees in horror and scream, alternatively wanting to attack any and everyone in range. How could they have done this to her, how could Freya have forced such a burden upon her? But she made no move to attack, numb and standing still as Sjofn began winding the scarves around their bleeding hands. Each one was knotted into a cord, to keep the scarves in place as Freya spoke over them.

"Do you, Lenneth Valkyrie, join us here of your own free will, to acknowledge before us the bond that is shared between yourself and Lezard Valeth?"

Lenneth almost laughed then, a hoarse hissing sound that would have been more misery than joy. This whole ceremony was a mockery, the concept of her free will a laughable offense. Something must have shown in her eyes, Freya made a concerned sound, speaking her name harshly.

"Lenneth?"

She could have, perhaps should have said no. And yet the sight of the Aesir, in their beaten down states reminded her of what they were up against. She took a deep breath, tamping down the impulse to scream, and let out a confidant yes. Immediately triumph flashed in Lezard's eyes, his grip on her bleeding hand, seeming to tighten in possession.

When Freya asked Lezard to acknowledge their bond, the man spoke without hesitation, never flinching as he gazed at Lenneth with open desire. "I do."

Freya touched their joined hands, lifting them up before the crowd. "Here before these witnesses, Lenneth Valkyrie and Lezard Valeth have sworn vows to each other. With this cord, and this spilled blood, they have been bound to each other." Normally the traditional vows would have spoken how the tie between a wedded couple was only as binding as their wills, the union able to be dissolved should either one desire it. The blood oath changed everything, Lenneth feeling something like despair as the Aesir acknowledge what they had just born witness to.

The blood oath had formed a connection between them when their blood had mingled. Lenneth had felt the tightening of her aura, a part of her becoming connecting to Lezard's. Had he known that would happen? She couldn't tell, his expression had not betrayed what was happening, though there had been a sense of satisfaction around him.

The silk scarves were cut free of their hands, the blood having ceased it's flow. Already the wounds on their hands had begun to heal, and soon only the faintest of scars would remain. Lezard made no attempt to let go of Lenneth's hand, in fact he began to pull her towards him, closing what little distance had been between them. Rings were being offered up, small bands of plain gold that were slipped onto their fingers.

It was traditional for a groom to kiss his bride, and yet Freya wasn't encouraging Lezard to do that. It mattered not, he didn't need the Goddesses' permission to do what he wanted. Already he was leaning into Lenneth, his smile broadening into a grin, as he spoke in a husky tone. "This is the part of the ceremony I've been looking forward to."

Lenneth was pulled against his chest, her eyes widening as his lips moved to touch hers. She knew it foolish but she still she hoped to get away with just a chaste kiss.

No such luck, his hand was cupping the side of her face, drawing her in to his lips. Lezard kissed her as though he would burn the memory of his lips into her skin, firm and hard against her mouth, tongue probing wanting to dance against hers. She was dismayed when she let out a breathy little gasp, almost squealing like a child as he kissed her, his tongue brushing against hers the moment her mouth opened. Lenneth put her hands on his chest, and tried to push away, but he held onto her, kissing her in a lascivious display before all the Gods and Goddesses in Valhalla.

She tried to pull away, and he followed, almost bending her over backwards in his need to stay connected to her. One hand stayed on her face, fingers stroking her cheek, while the other dropped down to her waist, holding onto the flat of her back, molding her body to his. She found herself growing angry, not liking to be embarrassed in front of her fellow Aesir like this. Her lips curled back in a snarl, and the grazing of her teeth against his lips was all the warning he got. The threat of being bitten seemed to be enough for him to pull back, and he stared into her eyes which were flashing angrily at him.

Lezard had the gall to look embarrassed, as he remembered they had an audience. However he was all confidence and smirks as he pulled away from her. He didn't move far, merely straightening, and holding her to his side. "Have you been appeased?" He asked Freya, sounding a little breathless.

"I suppose so..." Freya's lips were thinly pressed together, the Goddess not liking Lezard's little display of affection.

"Good, then we're off." He let loose laughter, licking his lipstick stained lips clean. "I'm sure you'll understand if we don't stick around for the after wedding festivities." Before anyone could object, the newly wedded couple vanished before their eyes.

To Be Continued...!

Michelle


	2. Chapter 2

Lenneth was a mix of angry emotions, her face heated with the embarrassment of enduring Lezard's kiss. It went beyond his presumption to kiss her in such a showy and ardent manner, Lenneth feeling humiliation that he had chosen to do so in front of the entire pantheon of Gods. She had felt their eyes on her, on them, seeming to lock in on the point of connection between their lips. It had been all Lenneth could do not to brutally slap Lezard then and there, and she was mortified she had squealed like a helpless mortal during the kiss.

The squeal had been a mistake, one she had sought to rectify almost immediately with a snarl. That, combined with the grazing of her teeth had seemed to make her new husband back off, the man regaining some of his senses. It wasn't enough to appease Lenneth, she had retained her anger, her embarrassment fueling it's fire, even through the sudden teleportation he drew them into.

If anything she felt even angrier, Lenneth realizing he hadn't even asked her of her wants and desires in taking her from Valhalla. He stole away not only her choice, but the opportunity to speak one last time to Freya and the other Gods. Not that she thought she could face them without a blush blooming on her cheeks, Lezard on her arm, and standing guard over her.

Such feelings were not known to Lenneth, the Goddess unable to remember many times when she had felt as embarrassed as she did on this day. There was only one other time that could compare to this, and it had been early in her career as Valkyrie, the battle maiden having made a crucial mistake on the plain of mortals. Young and inexperienced as she was, she had arrived moments before a great warrior was to be cut down in battle. By all rights he should have died, his soul then free for her to collect, and bring to Asgard.

Instead, her feelings had been stirred, Lenneth seeing the craven and cowardly manner in which the warrior's would be slayers sought to sneak up on him. It had angered her, Lenneth drawing her sword, using it to block the first of the attacks. It had been enough to spare the warrior's life, the man alerted to situation, and taking the measures to dispatch his attackers.

Such a thing might seem inconsequential, but the wheels of fate had been turned on it's sides. The warrior had been slated to die, instead he went on to a prominent leading position in a war, winning it for the side that should have lost. With the saving of the warrior, whole lives had been spared, a Kingdom thriving when it should have declined. It was no surprise she had been called to task before Odin, the King of the Aesir staring down at her with such disappointment.

Odin had not been gentle in his tongue lashing, chiding her for her decisions. Such was the strength of his disapproval, that Lenneth had hardened herself to her role as Chooser of the slain, determined to never again interfere with the course of a man's destiny.

The humiliation of that error almost paled in comparison to the one Lezard had forced on her with that lusty display. Simply every one of any importance had been present for that moment, and they most likely gathered what would happen to her next once this husband of hers got Lenneth alone. Why even now, he held her in close embrace, his hands' grip tight on her waist.

Her own hands were against his chest, trying to earn back some distance. She wasn't exactly fighting him, too reminded of the fact that her divine brethren's survival depended on her. But she wasn't welcoming his closeness, glaring at him with all the fierce animosity she could muster. He didn't seem to react to her glare, his eyes distant as they traveled between the realms. Lenneth had no idea where she was being taken to, they were quickly teleporting from one place to another, in short bursts of ether.

That shoddy way of transport hinted that this newly made God was still unfamiliar with this manner of transportation, and Lenneth wondered what other facets of his divinity had he yet to master. She couldn't help but think of potential weaknesses, Lenneth thinking of Lezard as her enemy, one she would be happy to defeat if an opportunity should arise.

But such thoughts were dangerous, Lenneth knowing she would have to tread carefully around her husband. She didn't fear her own destruction, but that of the Aesir, Lenneth knowing they would surely suffer if she displeased Lezard. For all the hurt and resentment she felt over being handed over like a mere possession to this man, she would never want to see the Gods or Asgard in peril.

She still didn't understand how this man, this fledgling of a God had done the things Freya had spoken of. How could a mortal, even a mage, be capable of taking down any God, let alone the ruler of all of creation? It didn't seem possible, this Lezard was an anomaly, he simply shouldn't exist. And though she couldn't imagine him taking down Odin, she had felt the power in him when he had felt threatened by the sword Freya had wielded. That power wasn't just Odin's, it was tainted with his own magic, and would be deadly provided he knew how to access and use it.

There was danger even in the untrained, he could have leveled all of Asgard in his clumsy attempts to fight the Gods. He had clearly stayed away long enough to learn how to wield at least some of his newfound power, and Lezard would only grow to be more of a threat as the days passed. He was a danger, and her more pressing concern should be the threat he posed to her, Lenneth hardly a naive maiden when it came to the affairs of a man married to a woman.

She was no Goddess of love, such things were beyond her understanding. She was born and bred for the battlefield, death and violence her domain. Though she had no experience in opening her heart to love anyone other than her sisters, she had learned things when she searched for warriors suitable to be brought to Valhalla. Soul concentration was a power known only to the Valkyries, and it allowed them to see glimpse of both the past, present, and the limited future.

Those glimpses allowed her to see into a soul's mortal life, Lenneth experiencing the highs and lows of the moments leading up to their demise. It was during that time, she was pressed to judge the soul, to deem if they were truly worthy to be brought back to Valhalla, and pressed into the service of the Gods, as einherjar of Asgard. It was a high honor, and only those warriors who were of a pure soul should be granted that. It mattered not how good a warrior you were, for some souls were so black they had to be consigned to Nifleheim's embrace.

Through her glare, she studied Lezard, the man's eyes distant as he concentrated on some unknown destination. She wondered what his soul would reveal to her, if he would be deemed worthy of Asgard. Somehow, she suspected not, thinking his soul had to have many black stains on it for the crimes he had committed to get the power needed to defeat Odin.

It wasn't just Odin he had taken, Lenneth knew she must never forget that. Her sister Silmeria was also lost, her ultimate fate unknown. The assumptions being made was that she had suffered the same fate as Lord Odin, assimilated for her power. It was yet another reason to despise Lezard, and the Aesir should have been calling for his head on a platter, rather than making concessions to him.

She just barely stifled her sigh at the unwanted thought that she was among those concessions. The only one he wanted, if Lezard was to be believed. The thing was she didn't believe nor trust him. Lenneth felt if there was one thing she understood beyond war and souls, it was the mortals' greed. They always wanted more than they had, always strove to take more, either through cunning, force, or bribery. Lenneth wasn't about to believe Lezard could be content with just one Goddess, especially after he had tasted Odin's power.

It was a very real concern she had that Lezard would use and then discard her. She had no knowledge of why he could harbor such intense feelings for her, and Lenneth would have assumed Freya had been mistaken on that count, if not for the way Lezard had looked at her. He had stared at her the moment she had arrived before him, his amethyst gaze dark with some unbridled desire. It disturbed her that a man, a veritable stranger could feel something, anything so strongly for her.

She didn't like it, didn't want to have anything to do with him or that desire of his. Nor did she want to be assimilated, another divine fueling his stolen power. It grated the thought that she might have to play on that desire of his, all in an effort to keep his attention diverted from thoughts of assimilating her. She was no seductress, her knowledge limited to what she had gleaned off the souls she had collected.

She was being thrust into an unexpected world, a world of many firsts. Before this day, Lenneth had been unaware of another gazing upon her with such open desire in their eyes. Nor had she ever done anything like the kiss that had been forced upon her, Lenneth untouched in the ways of romance and courtship. Not that she considered her situation with this Lezard a romance, it didn't even come close to any preconceived notions she might have had in that regard.

It was something darker, more sinister, Lenneth stiffening even more in Lezard's embrace. He seemed too focus on teleporting them to notice, leaving Lenneth to her private thoughts. She didn't want to think about what she might have to do, what she might have to allow him the right to do, and yet his threats, and the rings on their fingers bound them together. As surely as the blood oath they had taken together.

Blood oaths were a rare thing among the Aesir, normally done only to bind an Aesir to their Ruler. Odin himself had bound the Aesir to him, the blood oath an unbreakable promise to always be loyal to him and him alone. On occasion, a divine pair might choose to pledge themselves in marriage through such an oath, but that was rare. The Gods were always a fickle lot, marriages forming and falling apart in the span of a mortal's life. Rarely did love last an eternity, and almost never for the Gods.

Lenneth had been as confused as she was stricken with horror when she realized what Freya had meant to do. She couldn't believe the Goddess could be so cruel, to tie her so thoroughly to Lezard. And yet with Lezard's calm response to the ritual, Lenneth had quickly come to the realization that it had been the God himself who requested such a step. But why? Why would he go to such lengths?

The words Freya had told her just moments before the wedding ceremony came back to her, the Vanir Maiden likening Lezard to a man possessed, a man who truly seemed to care for Lenneth. Almost as though he had known her personally, rather than of her reputation. But she didn't know how that could be, she was certain she had never met this man, not even as a mortal. She would have remembered him, she was sure! Even if she had dealt with thousands upon thousands of mortals, surely this one would have stood out for the way he looked at her.

That look was returning to his eyes, Lezard no longer focused on their journey. She realized with a start they had reached their destination, a smile curling his lips upwards. She did not return it, not even a glimmer of it existed on her own lips, Lenneth staring stoically at Lezard. She had yet to take in their surroundings, too cautious and wary of him, and expecting an attack of some kind.

Oh not of the fists, she didn't expect him to brutalize her in that manner. But she did expect him to try to kiss her again, to demand his husbandly rights. She knew she could object, and fight him but only to a point, Lenneth expected to play the good little Goddess in return for his leaving the Gods of Asgard alone. Lenneth hated that her refusals were all meant to be meaningless, and most likely something he would enjoy, if she assumed correctly about him.

Her hands were still on his chest, holding him at bay though he made no to repeat his earlier display of desire. Instead he just stared at her, and it was even more disconcerting, for he seemed far too enamored of her eyes. It was as though he was losing himself into her gaze, a breathy little sigh escaping him, his hands relaxed somewhat on her waist.

For all Lenneth knew, they could have spent a small eternity just standing there, neither one speaking. She hated to break his trance, if only because of the reprieve it gave her from potential molestation. But she was always one to prefer action to inaction, and so Lenneth managed to wrest herself free of his hold. She stepped back, eyes still locked onto his face, watching as Lezard blinked rapidly, freeing himself of his trance.

She wasn't ready to break their silence, nor to give him the satisfaction of her voice. Lenneth wasn't exactly a practiced talker, far too used to spending her time sleeping when she wasn't on the battlefield collecting the souls of the fallen. She had never mastered the art of socializing, and Lenneth doubted Lezard wanted her for her voice at any rate.

Something about her maintained silence seemed to unnerve him, uncertainty flashing in his eyes, Lezard losing the arrogant confidence of his. She almost snorted in satisfaction, Lenneth liking to set him as off balance as he had her with this forced marriage between them. It made her wonder if she could continue to unnerve him, to the point it bought her some more time. Some might laugh at her trying to escape her inevitable destiny, but Lenneth would have liked to see how they would have managed in her place.

It was Lezard's turn to unnerve her, the fledgling God making no move towards her. Instead he dropped into a graceful bow, low but not so low that he couldn't keep his gaze on her. She would have assumed it was a mocking gesture, but his words seemed sincere enough.

"I want to welcome you. To my...our home." She said nothing in reply, and he seemed even more uncertain then. "I know you haven't had a chance to look around, but I hope what you see pleases you."

Lezard had straightened, and now he moved, arms swept out to gesture at their surroundings. Lenneth moved with him, her eyes on him rather than the room they were in. There was no way for him not to notice what she was doing, and he seemed to deflate, surely realizing it was not admiration for him that kept her eyes locked onto his face.

A quick blinking of his eyes, and then his gloved fingers were carefully pushing his glasses back up his nose. Lenneth would someday learn that was a nervous gesture on Lezard's part, but for now she merely thought it a common gesture. Save for the uncertainty in his eyes, she had no way of reading how flustered her silence and stony stare was making him.

It seemed that now that he wasn't throwing his weight and newfound power around, Lezard was rapidly losing his confidence. Lenneth thought that interesting, though she couldn't understand why. And yet she wanted to keep him unbalanced, preferring that to the over arrogant state he had shown her in Valhalla.

"I made this room...this level with you in mind." He spoke quickly, trying to fill in her silence. They continued to move, circling each other as Lezard drew closer to a table. On it was a large bouquet of flowers, long stemmed with white blossoms. A heady perfume was rising from the petals, the pollen the kind that was poisonous to the mortals.

It was lilies, the kind that sprouted up in the fields along a forgotten route to Coriander. The humans hadn't been able to stamp out the wild flowers, the pollen was too strong to keep them from succumbing to it's poisons. Lenneth had always had an affinity for the weeping lilies, enjoying their tragic beauty in a way that few, divine or otherwise could not.

She almost took her eyes off of Lezard, wondering how he had known to have this particular kind of flower here for her. It was too much of a coincidence that he'd chance upon the closest thing to a favorite flower she had, and the smell was strong enough, that Lenneth realized the sweetly fragrant flowers were spread throughout the room. All she need do is turn, and she would see them.

A question must have been in her eyes, Lezard was speaking, his voice smooth and without hesitation. "I brought them here just for you." His fingers reached out to touch one of the lilies, thick pollen being released into the air. "They're beautiful, are they not?" Lezard continued, smiling as he stroked the flowers. "I always admire them, even as a mortal. And do you know why?"

Silently, Lenneth shook her head, waiting for his answer. His smile did not falter, Lezard getting that deep look of yearning back in his eyes. "As beautiful as they are deadly, just like you my dear."

She didn't want pet names, and almost broke her silence to tell him that, but instead let him continue. "Mortals can only admire them from afar, they are something unobtainable...something so precious that only the Gods could have. You and these flowers share much in common..."

"Are you telling me you admire me?" Lenneth demanded, unable to keep quiet any longer. He actually dared to nod at that, and she let out a short disbelieving laugh. "I am neither one to be admired, nor considered precious."

"You're wrong!" Passionate denial had slipped into his voice, Lezard leaving the lilies to step towards her. She didn't back up, letting him draw near, ever cautious for an attack. "You are all those things and so much more to me!"

"To you?" Lenneth nearly sneered then, her tone scoffing. "We don't, I don't even know you!"

Something in Lezard changed, an unreadable expression shifting onto his face. He actually started to turn from her, leaving Lenneth surprised that he would present his unguarded back to her. She thought him a fool, if the situation wasn't so tentative, she could have, would have struck him down. But she was on guard, waiting for a chance to discover some key weakness of his to exploit.

"You're right." Lezard said at last, looking not at her, perhaps not at anything in particular. His next words made her shiver, Lenneth hearing the insistent promise in them. "But you soon will."

To Be Continued!

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, yay! My first review! Glad you're so excited for the rewrite of the fic. I hope you enjoyed the completely new chapter 2. Thank you for liking the original too. And let's hear it for a better time around! :D


	3. Chapter 3

She didn't ask what his words were supposed to mean, Lenneth having her own suspicions in what way he wanted her to get to know him. Her anger, which had never been far from the forefront of her emotions, spiked through her, Lenneth tensing into a defensive pose. Her dress rustled at her movements, the heavy skirts reminding her of how limited she was in her actions so long as these voluminous fabrics weighed her down.

It was not maidenly modesty that kept her from tearing off the gown, Lenneth was all too prepared to fight in her slip and undergarments if need be. But she wasn't ready yet to escalate things to an all out attack, Lenneth waiting, perhaps foolishly so for Lezard to make the first move. Her hands curled into fists, though she kept them down by her sides, letting her skirts hide what she was doing. She longed for her sword and her armor, both things having been lost to her in the preparation for this farce of a marriage.

Lezard had turned at the sound of her clothing's rustle, and she tensed even further as his hand moved. But it was not to grab her, or throw a divine burst of energy towards her, the God instead adjusting the glasses on his face. He wore a nervous smile on his lips, and his eyes slowly swept over her form, noting with some displeasure the ease in which she had taken up a protective stance.

This moment took only seconds to play out, Lezard wisely keeping his distance from Lenneth. "I see my words have caused some sort of misunderstanding." It was a mild smile on his face, his hand lowering. "Please, Lenneth...I meant nether insult nor inflammtory remark. You can relax easy around me."

She let out a rude snort at that last sentence, Lenneth giving a haughty shake of her hair. Relaxing was the least she could do so long as she was around him, made to suffer his care and attention. That response of hers, made the God frustrated, his hand rising to ruffle back his bangs, the action agitated.

"I know...I understand this is a difficult situation we've been placed in..." Lezard began, and Lenneth lifted an eyebrow at that. "But if we try to make the best of it..."

She couldn't take it anymore, Lenneth all but sneering as she interrupted him with a snide comment. "Make the best of it? Are you serious?" Was Lezard's eyes widening in surprise at her tone? She couldn't tell, nor did she relax the tense stance she held, Lenneth's fists on her hips now. "You talk as if you had no choice in this matter, as if you are as much a victim as I am in this arrangement!"

"Lenneth, I..."

"You are not!" Lenneth hissed, eyes narrowing further into her most heated glare. To her astonishment, he seemed to shudder, almost violently so. His eyes closed, and something very close to a moan escaped him. It disquieted her, Lenneth mouth dropping open to gape in astonishment at him. "What is wrong with you?" She demanded, feeling more confusion than any concern for his well being. "Are you ill?"

"Yes." He said, and that startled her. But before Lenneth could wonder on how an ill man had managed to best Odin and the other Aesir, he was speaking. "But it is a sickness that has no easy cure." A gloved hand lifted to his chest, pressing over where his heart should be. "It is a sickness of the heart, a sickness caused by you..."

"By me?" She was astounded and insulted, Lenneth still staring at him shocked.

"Yes you!" He confirmed, his eyes snapping open to stare determinedly at her. "You can't imagine how it's been... wanting you...needing you. Waiting for you...preparing for you...LOVING you."

Lenneth didn't want to process all that he was saying, giving a fitful shake of her head that had her braid bouncing about her back. Curled strands had escaped the sides, caressing her cheeks, but she paid them no mind. She was too busy trying to deny the words he had said, truly thinking something was wrong with him if he could claim to love her. "What do you mean?" Lenneth demanded, eyes narrowed on his. "Loving me? I doubt you even know the meaning of the word!"

Not that she could say she understood love's meaning any better than he could, but Lenneth was sure the thing Lezard ultimately felt for her was lust, pure and simple in it's needs.

"You're wrong!" Lezard insisted, tone notched with his fervent passion. "It is love...it's like nothing I ever felt, ever wanted to feel. Lenneth...I don't form connections easily with people...but seeing you, it made me want to reach out, to have something more than a passing acquaintance..."

She was unnerved by the conviction he laced his words with, his voice never hesitating, his stare never turning from hers. He either truly believed in what he was saying, or was so misguided in the feelings she had apparently stirred in him. Whatever the case, it left her unsure of what to say to him, Lenneth sure her glare had lessened in intensity.

Perhaps that was why he approached her, Lezard misreading the fading of her glare to mean the end of her anger. Lenneth held herself absolutely still as he approached, refusing to give him the satisfaction of driving her back even one step. They ended up toe to toe, the soft satin of her impractical slippers touching the hard leather of his well worn boots.

"Lenneth..." He sighed out her name, all the yearning he possessed for her in that breathy exclamation. "My Goddess, only you are capable of stirring my heart, into making me FEEL. Before I saw you, I was cold, an unfeeling shell of a human. My greatest joy in life was the pursuit of knowledge, of putting what I learned into use. I had no reason to be discontent, no drive, no ambition for anything more than what I was."

"And what were you?" Lenneth questioned, and got her answer without even a hesitation on his part.

"Just a man."

"Hardly just a man if you were able to ascend to the shining realm, and defeat our Lord!" Lenneth retorted, anger in her voice at that. A wry, rueful smile was flashed her way, Lezard drawing himself taller, arrogant confidence seeming to settle around him like a cloak.

"I may have dabbled a time in some ancient and forbidden magics." That smiled widened to an outright grin, he was ready to boast now. "I was at the top of my class, earning the highest marks they had ever had the privilege to give out. Magic you see, always came easy to me, even as a small boy I was considered a prodigy, a genius."

She considered him then, giving a slow nod of her head. She could accept what he was telling her, knowing Odin wouldn't have born the shame of being defeated by an inferior breed of mortal. But how could a mage, even one that was a self proclaimed genius, get enough power to stand toe to toe in battle against a God? And against the Lord of the Aesir, creator of the realms?

She knew of only one way, Lenneth pleased she didn't gasp out the words. "The forbidden magics. The lost spells of mortals that were thought to be sealed away." Lezard was nodding, pleased by what she had said. Her own lips pursed together in a thin line, Lenneth realizing someone had fallen down on their job if Lezard, if any mortal had been able to find, unlock, and decipher those spells. "But how?" Lenneth demanded, voice a harsh question. "How could you, how could anyone discover those spells? They were thought to be lost, lost to everyone, even to the Gods?"

That wasn't entirely true, Odin and his Valkyries would have known, the Lord commanding the battle maidens to seek out and destroy any remnants of that old magic. There had been many a mortal killed, wizards and sorcerers, witches and mages, and along with them, their apprentices had died, their books of knowledge burnt. Those that could not be killed, could not be destroyed by flame, had been sealed away by the Valkyrie's individual powers.

Lenneth had never thought to question why Odin had taken such a desperate means to subdue the humans' magical advance. But seeing Lezard before her, with all his stolen power, a subtle glow of divinity infusing his body, she now understood. Odin had been trying to protect the Gods, might even have been frightened by the magics the mortals had possessed. The balance of power between divine and mortal could have, would have shifted, the heavens help them all if more had proven as ambitious as this Lezard had.

He wasn't answering her question, just gazing at her with that infuriating arrogance. He was going to leave it to her to figure out, she was sure of it, Lenneth narrowing her eyes at him once more.

"Ah, Lenneth. Don't give me that look, dear one." The use of an endearment annoyed her, she wanted to be dear to no one, least of all Lezard.

"Just tell me what you know." She retorted, not bothering to soften her expression towards him. Odin might be dead, but she would still honor his decree, seeking out whatever Lezard's source had been, and sealing it once more. She might even attempt to destroy it, for something like this must never happen again, the Aesir couldn't handle any more losses among their ranks.

"I think not." Lezard demurred, still smiling at her. "I prefer to retain some of my secrets, at least for now." His smile deepened, a soft, throaty chuckle escaping him. "It adds to my charm and mystery, do you not agree?"

"Hardly." Scoffed Lenneth. "You have no charm."

"Not even a little?" He asked, smile not faltering. But he sighed when she shook her head, eyes dimming down from some of that confidence of his. "Ah but you were never one to let your heart be moved by such things. Not the little gestures, and certainly not grandiose expressions of love. So tell me Lenneth...what must I do to chip away at the ice around your heart?"

"There is nothing." Lenneth retorted, her annoyance seeping into her voice. "A battle maiden exists for one purpose, and that purpose has nothing to do with love." She flashed him her own version of a mocking smile, cold and callous as she spoke. "You would well do to seek affection from one of the other Goddesses, ones suited for love. Perhaps Sjofn would be a good match for you. The Goddess does understand about human passions after all."

"Sjofn would not do. Nor would any of the other Goddesses in Asgard, no matter how much or how little they understand about affairs of the heart. It's you I want, it's you who I love. Lenneth all I ask is that you give me a chance, no matter how small it may be to win you."

She couldn't help scowling then, her voice and expression rife with anger. "All that you ask for? Have you forgotten you demanded far more than you have a right to?" She was sure her blue eyes were flashing with her emotion, anger sparking hot and out of control. "Lezard, we are husband and wife, and all that entails. For good or for bad, I am bound to you, and this scar on my hand is proof of that!"

Lenneth had angrily thrust her hand forward, the palm up to show off the very faint scar where the dagger her carved into her. She knew underneath his gloves, he had a similar scar, the damning mark that hinted at the ties they held towards each other. If someone else saw the scar, they would not know who she had sworn herself to, but the would know she was bound, inexorably to someone.

Lezard didn't flinch back from her hand's sudden movement. Instead he took gentle hold of her hand, rasing it up higher to his face. His eyes never wavered from hers, and Lenneth had to fight not to jerk back her hand as though scalded by his touch. The situation grew worse when he pressed a kiss in the center of her palm, tongue laving out to trace the scar. An unsettling look changed the hue of his eyes, the amethyst growing darker, his lids lowering to give him a half awake look.

It proved too much for her, his tongue far too intimate a touch for Lenneth to tolerate. She hauled back her hand, aware the palm retained some of the moisture of Lezard's mouth. She fought the impulse not to rub her palm on her gown's skirts, not to avoid insult to him, but to avoid revealing how rattled he had made her with his actions.

That damn man was smiling at her, even as he began to remove his gloves. His eyes did a brief glance down at his own scarred palm, the fingers of his other hand tracing over it. "This binds us together, you're right. And if I may speak truthful to you, I would not have it any other way. For Lenneth? When I love, I do it with the full extent of my emotions, the entirety of my heart."

"Love." That word was spoken with disdain, her voice sour as though she want to spit. She followed it up with a hmph of sound, the noise clear in it's intention to dismiss his claims of love.

"Yes, love." He insisted, pressing his scarred hand over his chest. "I know you don't believe, know you don't want to think me capable of it, especially towards you. But it's real, and it isn't going to go away, no matter what you say or do."

She had a very real temptation to threaten him then and there, to see if she could not kill off that so called love. But somehow Lenneth suspected it would be no easy task to accomplish, Lezard stubbornly clinging to the idea of his love for her. He was a dangerous man, and could be made even more so if the delusions he had built up around her were shattered completely. Why, he might cease his prattle, these attempts at a civil conversation, to strike out at her. To assimilate her in the manner he had Odin, and then go off on a rage against the other Gods.

There was no doubt about it in Lenneth's mind, Lezard was insane. He had to be, to cling so stubbornly to the idea of loving her. Even worse was the idea that she might come to care for him back, Lenneth thinking that impossible. Valkyries were not soft hearted creatures, they did not feel love, did not experience the gentler emotions that the mortals and other Gods had. The closest she had to love, to a connection with another being was the affection she felt for her sisters, and the loyalty she had born to Odin.

A loyalty Lezard did not merit or do anything to win! Her hands were fighting not to clench back into fists, Lenneth staring at him. The knowledge that he thought he loved her should have given her power over him, but she felt helpless in this situation. The only thing she knew how to do, was to crush his heart so thoroughly that he would never again mistake the emotions in his heart for something positive. But then what would happen to her and the Gods of Asgard? It was a troubling question, one she feared the answer to.

She knew the right thing to do was to humor him, play him like a fine fiddle as she sought to find out his secrets, and the key to his destruction. The problem was Lenneth didn't think she could stomach such an act, and lying had never been her forte. The best she could manage was to be impassive, keeping her expression closed, her true feelings hidden under a cold gaze. She could make herself a doll, one that would at least play along with his whims, in order to save the Gods of Asgard.

He was patient, she'd give him that. He hadn't spoken even one more word to her, letting her hold a private council with her rapid thoughts. She wondered what conclusion he was hoping she'd come to, surely Lezard couldn't think she'd melt at his ardent exclamation, flinging herself into his arms! But she refused to make any move towards him, Lenneth determined not to encourage Lezard in the slightest. If he wanted her love and affection, which Lenneth translated to bodily acts and lustful expressions, then he would have to initiate each and every tryst.

She would not make it easy for him, and even then, Lenneth thought she might not be able to stomach his advances. "It seems your mind had been made up about me, even before we were bound together in marriage."

Lezard was surprised, she could see that and wariness in his gaze. "Then you're not even going to try?" Why did Lenneth get the feeling he was disappointed with her confirmation to that question.

"What is the point?" Lenneth demanded. "You've told me that you won't be swayed to feel otherwise, that you won't abandon this belief that you love me. I could talk myself hoarse, and it wouldn't make a difference, wouldn't it?"

"No, it wouldn't." He agreed, then smiled. "But I would welcome the debate. I'm sure it would be quite lively and stimulating. And I've always loved to hear the sound of your voice."

She thought she would limit herself to as little talking as possible in the future, if only to deny this thief the pleasure of her voice. It was a small thing, might even be petty to deny him, but she would enjoy a twisted satisfaction from it. She wasn't beyond realizing that right now, around Lezard, she was becoming nothing but a container for her anger and bitterness. He was twisting her into knots, his very nearness triggering her displeasure, leaving her emotions to churn violently inside her. It was more than she was used to feeling, perhaps more emotions than she had experienced since that time of her mistake with saving that warrior's life.

Lenneth didn't like it, didn't enjoy these plays of emotions when for so long she had gone without feeling. Emotions were unnecessary to her duty as a Valkyrie, might even hold her back, cause her to make foolish, fate altering decisions.

And yet Lenneth couldn't stop feeling around Lezard, the anger and displeasure boiling within her. Already she was back to glaring at him, growing further displeased that her poison filled looks had no effect on his smile.

"This is absurd." She spoke out loud, polite inquiry flashing in his eyes, altering his smile slightly.

"Oh?" He prodded when she made no attempt to continue. "What is?"

"This." A gesture of her hand, encompassing him, her, even the room they found themselves in. The room she had not bothered to study, and knew nothing about, save for the flowers he had filled it with.

"This?" He sounded amused then, Lenneth fixing him with a sharp look. "You mean us." She gave a slight nod, noting his good humor did not fade. "It is but the first day of the rest of our eternity together." She surely blanched at those words, Lezard not pausing. "Things may begin to look better to you as time marches on. Will be better as you get to know me." That last was added as though he was trying to reassure himself as much as her, an uncertain note in his voice.

She almost scoffed then and there, Lenneth thinking that no amount of time in the world, even if eternity passed, and they lived through Ragnarok, would she be able to find the good in this situation he had thrust her in. She may not have spoken, but her body language was enough, Lenneth giving a haughty toss of her head, that upset the curls that had loosened from her braid.

It was then that it happened, Lezard's hand reaching towards her, fingers seeking out a curl. The memory of what he had done with her hand moved her, Lenneth lashing out violently with her arm. The action smacked his hand away from her, and though she said nothing, the message was plain to read. She did not want him touching her, would not tolerate it with an indifferent smile.

"So..." Displeasure was voiced, and what she could have sworn was a tinge of sadness flashed in his eyes. "You deny me even this?" At that moment she didn't care what would happen next, Lenneth giving a stiff but firm nod. Again that unmistakable sadness showed in his eyes, Lezard letting out a deep sigh. "How I envy that curl."

It was the last thing Lenneth expected him to murmur, the Goddess' eyes widening. "What?" She didn't care if she sounded startled in the moment, Lezard giving her a sad smile.

"Would that I was that curl, to lay so softly upon your cheek."

He completely set her off balance, Lenneth not knowing how to react to that, unable to grasp even what to say in response to such a desire. It was oddly poetic, something that smacked of a honeyed tongue. But she didn't soften, just staring at him, fighting to keep her confused response off her face.

"It is all right..." Lezard seemed to be saying that to himself, as much as to her, surely attempting some form of reassurance. "It's too soon..." He gazed at her with open longing, nodding his head to himself once more. "Too soon..."

Perhaps it would have been best to say nothing at all, and yet Lenneth felt goaded into retorting. "Never will be too soon enough for us." In response he just stared at her, seconds ticking into minutes, before he turned away, cape rustling with a flourish.

To Be Continued!

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, YES! I won you over to the new direction of the story! I know how much you adored the old version, but glad you gave the new version a try, and decided you liked the rewrite! Ah Silmeria...I have ideas, and one might involve a homunculous. Of course it wouldn't go over well with Lenneth but what can you expect this early on!

I'm giggling cause yes, now she has to deal with romance, an area Lenneth is so unprepared for, even if it's all one sided on Lezard's part. She is so not used to being courted and admired. XD I like how you put it, no domesitcated Goddess. Might use that phrase. And glad you like the weeping lilliess comparison!

God Emperor Nex, thank you! I am trying my best to keep it going! Been too long since I was this inspired for Valkyrie Profile! :)

Xalzerd, well...the name that comes to mind is Kaelin Voidshadow. That's who I think you might be! I hope I'm right, cause I really have no other clues. Glad you're happy to see me writing for VP again. I never stopped writing, just was inspired for a different fandom. Occasionally I'd get out a chapter or one shot for Lezard Lenneth, but never anything I posted to this site. I'm feeling hopeful cause of the inspiration I got this week for my favorite couple. Hope you will continue to read!


	4. Chapter 4

He could almost feel Lenenth's astonishment, the feeling a subtle radiation of emotion she could not control. Lezard wondered if it had to do with the bond they shared, the blood oath connecting them, their souls tied together now and for all eternity. Or maybe it was simply because the Goddess was Lenneth, and that's why he was so aware of her, and the feelings she tried to hide from him.

He almost welcomed the change her astonishment brought to the tension around them, some of Lenneth's anger fading back due to her surprise at his actions. She hadn't been expecting him to walk away from her, but he thought it foolish to keep on talking when she was clearly in such an argumentative mood. It really was too soon, for them, for her words not to be laced with anger and derision.

Try as she might not to, Lenneth was reacting to him, and in all the typical manners expected of the Goddess. She was angry and hostile, though she tried to hide much of it with long, drawn out silences. She was less successful with her glares, her eyes flashing with the anger she felt over the situation she found herself in. And on occasion, even her words betrayed her true feelings, Lenneth lashing out to coldly inform him that never was too short a time when it came to her softening towards him.

All in all, it was going just the way he had expected. Which is why Lezard didn't understand the feelings of disappointment that were churning through him. He knew better, knew that Lenneth, even one who had never met him before, and did not know of his...quirks of nature, would not welcome the abruptness of his arrival into her life. It was folly and foolish to hope for more, especially on this first night of what would be an eternity spent together, and yet he was still disappointed!

He supposed it had to do with the hopes and dreams he had had, the fantasies he had harbored of what would have happened once he was on equal ground with his Goddess. Meeting her, no longer as a man, a foolish dreamer who had murdered countless elves and humans in order to lure her to him, but as a God. He was still a murderer, his hands permanently stained with blood of both mortal and divine alike, but now he was beyond judgment.

Or so he had thought, Lezard remembering the look in Lenneth's eyes as she had sneered at him. The Goddess didn't like that he had killed her King, anymore than she liked being tied to him. It was that infernal dislike that made the marriage a necessity, Lezard having to subdue not only Odin, but the entire pantheon of Gods. All in order to be given his one desire, the one person he had done all this for. Not that Lenneth was in a position to appreciate it, not yet at least, but Lezard had to believe that hope sprang eternal.

Lezard knew there had been no chance of approaching Lenneth in a conventional manner, neither as mortal nor as divine. His attempts at courtship as a mortal had been disastrous and nearly ended with him a stain on her sword. As a God, he was nothing more to her than the murderer of Odin, there would have been no way she would have tolerated his presence without blackmail and manipulation.

Even now, with Lenneth aware of the stakes placed on her shoulders, she could barely stand to be around him. Even worse, she did not tolerate his small attempts at touching her, reacting with violence. It was all signs that pointed to just how difficult a journey the road to winning her love would prove to be. But he was determined, refusing to be defeated by her blatant dislike. After all, if he could travel through time, climb to the top of Yggsdrasil, and even slay the God of all Gods, then Lenneth's hostility was just another obstacle he had to overcome.

But somehow he feared it would be the most difficult of all he had done. Even the battle with Odin could not compare to matching wits with his Goddess. Especially when she was capable of rendering him tongue tied, Lezard turning nervous and uncertain around her. With one cold stare, a challenging retort, Lenneth was able to reduce him to a clumsy youth, a man incapable of doing more than just staring at her.

Not that it was any chore to look at Lenneth. In fact, Lezard could have easily spent a small eternity just gazing on her beauty. Even with her angry and glaring at him, Lezard wanted to admire her. Even more than he currently did. If she'd let him, he'd gladly put her on a pedestal, and kneel before her, in open supplication of the awe and love she inspired in him.

He almost turned back to her, wanting to look at Lenneth, rather than rely on the memory in his head. But his courage faltered, Lezard not wanting to see another one of her glares. Not until he could properly harden his heart once more against such animosity from her. He could deal with her anger, her supposed hatred, but only in small dosages. Otherwise his heart might shatter, crushed under her delicate feet, and then where would he be?

He had a feeling it would be somewhere where misery was doled out in heaps, where he would have no solace from the agony of his love sick heart. If he thought he was suffering now, how much worse would it be, to be without Lenneth? Even a Lenneth who only showed him anger?

He had only had her as a permanent part of his eternity for a handful of minutes, but knew he could not do without her. Better to have her hate him, than to have nothing, neither her feelings nor her presence in his life. Such thoughts reassured Lezard, kept him from despairing.

Despair was an odd feeling, one he had become familiar with since that first time he had gained a glimpse of Lenneth. The despair hadn't registered at first, Lezard too taken with the image inside the crystal interior of the philosopher's stone. He wasn't sure why the stone had shown him the Goddess, but something in his heart had reacted to that first sight of her. Lezard could remember gasping, his breath stolen away, even as he felt like someone had sucker punched him in the stomach.

Lenneth had been in full Valkyrie regalia, the Goddess on some battlefield, scouring the souls that were floating around her and the corpses. They shone like white lights, looking like will o wisps as they circled about, being drawn to her in the same manner Lezard was inexorably drawn to Lenneth. He had watched her cup the lights in her hands, her eyes holding a focused look as she chose among them.

She didn't materialize the chosen souls, instead pulling them inside her, where they would wait for her command. Nor were many given the honor of being chosen by her, Lenneth perhaps taking half a dozen out of the hundreds that flooded the battlefield. It was when she was done with her business among the souls, that her wings emerged, and for a Death Goddess, they were exactly opposite of what Lezard had expected.

A shimmering glow had surrounded her wings, the feathers colored a white that seemed even purer than freshly fallen snow. Her wing span had been larger than her

body, able to easily support her effortless flight. A single, solitary feather had been left behind to mark her presence on the battlefield, the Valkyrie's calling card, which was a comforting sign to some. It let them know the Goddess had been there, and had found some of the fallen worthy of Asgard.

Lezard was not ashamed to admit that he had been moved to cry, something he hadn't done since he was a small child, weeping over a scraped knee. But seeing the Goddess, it had moved his heart, stirred things deep inside him. Her image had also brought a realization to him, Lezard shaken to realized there would be little if anything he could do to ever have the Goddess for his own.

Such a realization had rendered him a shell of a man, Lezard abstaining from his studies and practices. He would spend weeks just thinking about the battle maiden, recalling every detail of the image the stone had shown him. As the days went on, he lost none of the memory, still remembering her beauty in stark detail, assuming he would go mad from wanting her so badly.

Before he had seen Lenneth, he had never understood the desperation some men went to, all in order to obtain a woman. Never before had he understood the appeal, how one could pick a woman amidst all the others, and want her, love her even. Before Lenneth, Lezard had had little use for the female sex, dabbling on occasion to relieve himself of the bothersome need that arose in his body from time to time.

Sex had been more an annoyance than anything, a necessary mean to relieve an itch he had. As long as his partner was of a pleasing form, and who wanted no commitment, he was content to briefly dally. Never had Lezard wanted to form an attachment to a woman, never had he sought more than sex. That had all changed when he had discovered Lenneth, Lezard yearning for things, things he had never wanted, and things that had seemed impossible now.

If it was possible to die of love sickness, Lezard would have surely expired in the months following his first glimpse of Lenneth. He still wasn't sure how he had survived those months, how he had kept on going, even as he ceased to function, sleeping at all hours of the day, dreaming of the Goddess. He barely ate, barely remembered to do anything else, and it was only the interference of the one person he could almost call a friend that he had returned to living his life.

Mystina. The blonde haired mage had always been a rival of his, the girl trying her best to surpass him in their studies. Once he had even slept with her, a disastrous one time mistake he had never repeated. Even in the bedroom, Mystina had been competitive, right down to the number of times they climaxed. Lezard would have been content to keep her around as the means to relieve his body's urges, but the fool female would have assumed that meant they were in a relationship. She would have had expectations of him, things he neither wanted nor promised to do.

If anything, his rejection of Mystina had made the mage more determined to best him, as if that could somehow give her what she wanted. It wouldn't, but Mystina persisted, and when she realized she was starting to win their unofficial competition through default, she became angered. It was Mystina's interference that slowly drew Lezard back to the realm of living, the mage somehow wheedling out of Lezard that he was love sick.

Even now he could still hear her voice in his head, urging him to do whatever it took to win the object of his affections. After all, Mystina had reasoned, no one was unobtainable. If only the mage knew what she had set into motion, Lezard intrigued by her words enough to begin research. Books and the philosopher's stone were called into play, Lezard scouring documents, trying to discover if there was a way a mortal could truly be with a God.

It would take nearly a year, but eventually he would piece together enough knowledge to get a yes to his answer. The philosopher's stone whispered to him, telling him to either become a God, or trap one into a mortal construct. The first had seemed laughable, an impossible task, but as he researched the second, he learned there might be a way for him to attain divine status.

Intriguingly, it had seemed both ways had ties together, and each involved making a construct to house a soul. Of course there was no guarantees he could pull off becoming a God, the attempt could prove fatal, for he would get only one chance to shift his soul into the construct. Lezard wasn't afraid of death, not in the conventional sense, but he had feared dying before ever getting a chance to meet with his love.

So he had settled on the option of trapping her, into making her a mortal. It wasn't a route he was proud of, especially now that he had some experience as to what it meant to be a God. He knew now how limited his mortal body had been, how he was missing out on sights, sounds, smells, even sensations humans couldn't begin to dream of. To trap his love in a mortal body, would have been akin to rendering her deaf and blind, not to mention a veritable death sentence.

Lezard was glad he had failed. He knew now he would have never won Lenneth's love if he had forced her to be his mortal bride. She would have despised him, resented him for what he had stolen from her. It was better that he had taken the steps to come to her, even if Lenneth was currently angry over the business of Odin's murder.

She would get over it, that was his hope. After all, she didn't have that close a relationship to Odin, their ties more master and slave than anything else. In fact, from what he understood, her only true relationships was that to her sisters, Lenneth as much a stranger the notion of friends and lovers as he had once been. Even the words she had spoken to him proved that, the Goddess stressing how she had no understanding or business with love.

As far as Lezard was concerned, they could learn together, take the steps needed to forge an eternity together. There would be love, he couldn't allow any other thoughts to raise doubt in him, or else he would fail them both. Nor could he allow disappointment to fester to the point he was unable to act, Lezard couldn't afford to give in to heart ache and depression. Not when he needed to be his most charming and persuasive.

As such he held back his sighs, his eyes briefly sweeping over this part of the large chamber he had brought Lenneth to. It doubled as both a bedroom and living quarters, a section cordoned off for the bed. The bed itself was raised off the ground, appearing to be floating. That was merely an illusion, it's lengthy sheets hiding the elevated platform it balanced on. Besides it, was several smaller dais, each one silver and thin, with a reflective surface on their tops.

The dais were floating, curling around to the bed's right side, a half circle of stepping stones. There was no railing to hold onto, one had simple to trust their balance to ascend to the bed. It was no fluke of design that the bed was on a platform, Lezard having chosen to make it a literal pedestal on which his Goddess would rest upon.

Not that she had deigned to look that way. In fact, Lenneth had yet to do even a passing glance at her surroundings. She had not laid eyes on the beauty of this room, a beauty he had labored for hours on, much of his effort going to create something that was befitting the Goddess of his heart. This chamber, the largest of a cluster of rooms, was at the top most level of his world. A private refuge, meant to hide them away from prying eyes, he had seen to every nook and cranny. All in an effort to make this level a painstakingly crafted love song to his Lenneth.

He had not only tried to rival the beauty of Asgard, but to surpass it, casting this level in the soft glow of eternal moonlight. It was the direct opposite to Asgard's sun, leaving behind the too bright atmosphere for a more soft, seductive tone. Crystal was everywhere, the walls and ceiling made of it. The crystal grew translucent towards the center of the ceiling, allowing an unobstructed view of the large, white moon. There was dozens of stars scattered about, forming new constellations Lezard had yet to name.

The crystals themselves were cast in pale shades of lavender and blue, and certain facets of them caught and held the images of the room. Lenneth herself could be seen in some of the crystal, letting him know she still stared at him rather than study the room. She didn't care for the flowers he had grouped together in strategic angles of the room, nor did she take note of the rack of gowns he had left in one corner.

There was a small amount of furniture placed on the floor of the room. Several cushioned chairs, including an intricately carved love seat were among the room's limited fixtures. There was even a table, small enough that it would encourage closeness during their meals. The other rooms on this level were more furnished, and he had even seen to installing a library, one filled to the brim with all the tomes the sentient species of the world had created.

He had pictured them going over books together, or lazily lounging about in bed. Of sharing meals and conversation at the table, and of course, of making love, christening every bit of furniture with their affection for one another. Lezard knew enough to know it would take time for those things to happen, especially that last one, and he had to yet again remind himself to be patient.

That patience would be the key to securing a successful relationship with his Goddess. To otherwise rush would be to ruin everything, Lezard liable to further anger and alienate Lenneth from him. It wouldn't be easy at times, especially when he had so many hopes and expectations for them, desires he had harbored for years. Those desires had him glancing at the bed, Lezard trying not to think of anything more risque than lying in it's satin embrace, holding Lenneth in his arms.

Of course he wanted to do more than just hold her, but as love starved as he was, even the stroking of her hair would be a heavenly experience. He wondered how she'd feel in his embrace when she wasn't stiff with her anger and tension, wondered how a relaxed, content Lenneth might snuggle into a better position against him. He was greedy in that he wanted it all, both the innocence moments and the ones that were not, and everything in between.

Even her anger, the way she challenged him, was endearing, Lezard exhilarated by the interaction with his Goddess. It was better than being ignored completely, better to have her hate him now than to not even know of his existence.

The fact that Lenneth couldn't take her eyes of him, fed into Lezard's ego, even though he knew she was watching him simply because she was so wary of him. She was expecting him to do something, to make some move towards her that she would have to defend against. She couldn't know the only thing she need raise her defense against was the love he would help to develop in her, Lezard starting to smile at the thought.

To Be Continued!

-Michelle

Alpha Huntress, I'm giggling over the tally sheet you're keeping for them! I think Lenneth will score early and often, but Lezard will eventually come from behind and assume victory! \o/ Ah...the waiting is something he'll have to suffer through. It should be interesting how long he can bear it, before her nearness totally drives him mad! XD

Kaelin Voidshadow, yay! I was right! *hugs back* Thanks for both the welcome back, and the fic comments! :D

God Emperor Nex, thank you! He's gonna have to use all the charm at his disposal, that's for sure!


	5. Chapter 5

Lenneth could not remember falling asleep, or even being tired enough to need rest, a fact that disturbed her almost as much as her current position did. She found herself laid back on a bed that was not her own, in a room that was only somewhat familiar to her. A crystal dome stretched high above her, with only the narrowest of openings in the center, to allow an unobstructed view of the moon. Somehow she knew the moon would never set, leaving this room cast in it's permanent glow.

It was the exact opposite of Asgard, her home. There in the shining realm it was always sunny, always the picture perfect day. Flowers were everywhere, endless fields of green and gold, and amidst it all floated large land masses, islands that housed the various homes and temples of the Gods. There was none of that here, just the moon light, and the fragrant weeping lilies, of which she found she held one single stem pressed between her breasts.

The lily that she held was beautiful, perfectly crafted to be the envy of all it's fellow flowers. It's petals were fully formed, and the purest of whites, with only the briefest of gold pollen sparkling on the inside. The pollen had even fallen onto the diamonds of her gown, and as much as Lenneth hated the dress, she was relieved to see she was still wearing it.

Especially after realizing she had been positioned to lay in artful repose for one man's appreciation. Any bits of sluggishness that had come with her abrupt awakening, vanished, Lenneth hurrying to sit up. Her hair fell forward to brush over her shoulders, and that was when she realized the silver blue strands had been unbound. She almost gave in to the shudder, realizing Lezard had done more than just pose her, the fledgling God taking one too many liberties with her.

She was so focused on her upset at having fallen asleep and prey to his molestations, she almost didn't notice him sitting perched at the foot of the bed. The bed itself was huge, mattress big enough to fit several people, and yet Lenneth found even with the distance he offered her, it was too close. Especially with him just sitting there, an odd smile on his face as he studied her.

Her hand curled into a fist, and it was then that Lenneth remembered the lily that she still held, it's long stem being crushed in the process. She didn't care about destroying the flower, giving it and Lezard an angry frown as she violently tossed the lily away from her. Her unbound hair shifted at her movements, more falling over her front like a shield. She didn't try to tuck it back, content to let it hide her body from his stare.

Lezard didn't say a word when Lenneth threw away his flower, nor did his eyes betray what he thought of that gesture. Instead he just sat there, still as a statue, save for the occasional blink of his eyes. Those eyes unnerved her, Lezard staring as though she was all that mattered, all that existed. She didn't like being so focused on, and Lenneth found herself starting to glare and gaze back at him though this was one staring contest she would not win.

She didn't understand why his staring was unnerving her so, she had after all stared down countless opponents, both mortal and divine alike. Even the servants of Hel, those despicable demons and monsters that on occasion escaped from Nifleheim's realm, had not been as intimidating as this man was. Some part of Lenneth wondered if it had to do with the fact that he desired her, a lust that moved him to do so many things, including odd ones such as pose her on this bed. She supposed she ought to be grateful that posing her was the only thing he had done, but Lenneth was hardly in a charitable mood.

Especially while she wore this ridiculously sexy and overly uncomfortable gown, the skirts and diamonds weighing her down. It wasn't like her armor at all, her chest plate made of a divine substance that molded and protected her, even as it's light weight allowed her to move with ease. She wanted her armor now, would have felt a million times better dressed in it, for as far as Lenneth was concerned, this marriage was nothing but a battle. One she did not know how to win, wasn't even sure she knew the rules of.

But Lezard did, and he continued to set her off balance with his actions. She fought the urge to crawl towards him, the urge driven by the desire to slap him across the face. And all because she was imagining what he must have done when she slipped into sleep's embrace. The fact that she had slept at all was suspicious, Lenneth wondering if Lezard had not imposed his will on her. It wouldn't be the first time she had slept because another God commanded it, but normally such a privilege was reserved to Odin and Freya alone.

She had never truly felt helpless when Odin commanded her to sleep, but now here, alone with her so called husband, she very much felt afraid. He could have done anything to her, and she would have been powerless to stop him. Nor did she understand why he had stopped himself from doing any more than posing her on this bed. Just what was he waiting for? Lenneth did not know, and that increased all of her frightened and angry feelings.

Lenneth wondered if he could read her emotions, if he knew the kind of inner turmoil he was causing her. If he did, he was probably enjoying setting her off balance, leaving Lenneth to want to retaliate. The problem was she didn't know how! And that frustrated her almost as much as this entire situation did.

Lezard still wasn't moving, his gaze never wavering from her face. In a fit of temper, and a direct contradiction of her earlier promise to force him to initiate each and every encounter, she spoke, a snide question slipping free of her lips. "Do you plan to just sit there and stare at me all day?"

Lenneth wasn't expecting the answer that he gave her, Lezard letting out an almost dreamy like sigh. "Yes."

Just one word, but it unnerved her, Lenneth not liking the confirmation of what he was doing. She frowned, and gave a toss of her head, some of her hair sliding backwards in the process. "You can't be serious!"

His eyes hadn't be drawn away by her hair's movements, and now Lezard's smile deepened. "Oh but I am!" He was earnest and passionate in that moment, seeming to lean forward in her direction. "You can't begin to imagine the kind of pleasure I get just from looking at you, Lenneth." Her skin crawled at those words, Lenneth frowning harder at him. "You are so beautiful..."

Lenneth had never been one to take a good look in the mirror, hardly the vain type. She was woefully ignorant of her own charm and appeal, the way her exotic looks made her stand out even amongst the other Goddesses. She found herself shaking her head no, in steadfast denial. "You are mistaken..."

"I am not!" Lezard insisted, and now his eyes took in her hair. "Lenneth, you are beauty personified. Sheer perfection, with those ethereal looks of yours. Odin surely had a sense of humor to make so beautiful a Death Goddess."

She didn't like hearing Lezard speak Odin's name, but before she could do more than glare at him, he was speaking. "Perfect face, soul searing eyes...lips that are oh so kissable..." His gaze dipped down, eyes focused on her mouth now, and as he spoke, he began to creep towards her. "I've dreamt of those lips on my own, have killed to get a taste of them..."

She started to shift on the bed, not needing the reminder that he was a murderer. Lezard mistook her motion for an attempt to escape his attempt at nearing her, his hand lifting in quiet supplication. "Once wasn't enough, will NEVER be enough...I need your kisses like I need air to breathe...Lenneth, don't deny me this simple pleasure..."

He had drawn up besides her, resting on his knees as his lifted hand moved to cup her cheek. She had frozen in shock, watching as Lezard leaned in towards her, his eyes closing part way, to further amplify the enamored look he wore around her.

His hand was warm, Lezard having discarded his gloves, and at his gentle touch, she flew into action. His lips had almost touched hers, Lenneth lunging forward in such a way that they glanced off the side of her cheek. Her hands closed around his neck, her forward motion propelling them down onto the mattress, Lenneth on top of him. Lezard stared up at her, that dreamy, sleepy look evaporating into stunned surprise.

Lenneth found herself hissing, her hands squeezing his throat though she knew it would do little more than annoy him. "Don't you dare presume to take such liberties with me! I neither want nor welcome your attempts at affection!"

"Lenneth."

"NO!" She almost shook him then, so violent was her anger. "I don't want to hear it. Not your excuses, and not any remarks about how attractive you find me! Do you understand? I won't stand for it!" She paused, breathing harder in her anger, and waiting for him to say or do something in return. She didn't expect him to humor her, if anything she was preparing for his anger, for Lezard to strike her down for her daring.

His hand lifted, and she geared herself up to not even flinch, waiting for her punishment. What she wasn't expecting was for the soft touch on her hair, Lezard stroking fingers through her silver blue mane. He sighed as he did it, amethyst eyes gazing up at her, an almost serene look in them. He paid no mind to the fact she was attempting to choke him with her hands, instead using her closeness to steal touches from her.

Again and again those fingers of his went over her hair, petting her as if she was some wild animal he meant to calm down with his touch. What's worse, her surprise allowed Lezard to do that for several seconds before Lenneth got over her shock. With an angry snort, she pushed him into the mattress, then rolled off him. Her dress rustled with her movements, and then he was snagging hold of her skirt with his hand.

It was either hold still for him, or jerk away, tearing her skirt in the process. Lenneth was all too prepared to risk damage to her dress, and she cast an angry snarl over her shoulder. That sound died down at the sight of what Lezard was doing, the man bringing the hem of her dress up to his face. A sad look was in his eyes as he ran his lips over the silk fabric of her gown.

"I don't understand you!" Came Lenenth's exasperated comment. She had ceased her attempts to get away from him, at least for the moment, all in order to study her curious captor.

"You wouldn't be the first to say those words to me." Came his answer, Lezard now rubbing his cheek on her dress. He stared at her as he did it, as though he could be satisfied from touching something that had touched a part of her. "Sometimes even I don't understand myself." Abruptly he dropped his hold on her skirt, allowing her to snatch it back out of his reach. He didn't try to close in the distance between them, actually looking away from her now.

"Are you hungry, Lenneth?" It was the last thing she expected him to ask her, Lenneth almost gaping at him. She began to shake her head no, then realized he still wasn't looking her way, forcing her to vocalize her answer.

"No. I'm fine." In this moment she wasn't trying to be difficult, she simply wasn't hungry. And just like with sleep, a God could go a long time without needing to succumb to hunger and thirst. Truth be known, they could go on for an indefinite amount of time without either one, though it would make their existence uncomfortable as the needs grew worse with each passing day.

It was a sign of how new to divinity Lezard was, that he could think of eating at the moment. Or perhaps it was his way of distracting them both from what had just occurred, though Lenneth refused to forget and forgive his missteps towards her. Nor was she at ease to spend a minute longer in this bed with him, Lenneth shifting towards the edge. It was just her luck that their positions were such that he was near the steps, Lenneth looking at the drop to the floor with a sigh. Such a fall wouldn't hurt her though, she'd be no more bruised than his neck currently was, her divinity protecting her from many injuries.

It was the rustle of her clothing that alerted him to her movements, Lezard turning back to her in time to see her leap off the side of the bed. She didn't even conjure her wings, the drop short enough that when she hit the floor, she went down to hover her knees an inch off the floor. She heard the movements of Lezard, the man hurrying down the dais stair case, and was already straightened to a standing position by the time he reached her.

"Lenneth..." He actually frowned at her, hand reaching for her before he remembered himself. "Are you so bothered by me, that even the thought of passing near to me is detestable?"

"I'm sure you can figure out the answer to that on your own." Lenneth retorted, tone haughty. She wanted to look around this chamber, but wouldn't, so long as Lezard stood within touching distance of her. "Where are we?"

He did a rapid blinking of his eyes, as though not expecting such a question from her. "Our home." He began, than shook his head. "No, I suppose that's too simple an answer to give. We are in my world..."

"Your world?" Lenneth interrupted him, seizing on that odd phrase. "Surely you don't mean..."

"Yes...A world I created." A small, boastful smile replaced the frown, Lezard drawing himself up taller. "I've labored tirelessly to complete it. To have it ready for us." She said nothing to that, just staring at him shock. A new world! That he had enough power to do such a thing did not surprise her, no. The thing that had her so astounded was that he had learned how to use his stolen powers in so short a time to be able to do this. Lenneth realized she had been right about her earlier assumption about Lezard. He was dangerous and growing only more so the further he got used to his new found divinity.

Her silence clearly unnerved him, Lezard losing some of his ease, to shift, a nervous look in his eyes. "Would you...care for a tour?" He sounded uncertain then, though that faded at her nod.

"Yes." Lenneth said simply, thinking it would be a good idea to assess just what he had created in his free time. It would help her to gauge better his powers, and his ability to use them. Her eyes risked looking away from him to dart about the room, Lenneth now taking in it's beauty. She could see he had spent an extraordinary amount of time trying to make this chamber as impressive as possible.

It certainly wasn't something she expected a mortal to make, and it left Lenneth wondering just how much time he had spent in Asgard, studying his surroundings for ideas for his own world. Or perhaps he really was that creative, Lenneth reminding herself that even as a mortal, Lezard had surely been something out of the ordinary. He had to be, if he had been able to ascend to the top of Yggsdrasil, and defeat Odin.

She still didn't know the details of how Lezard had done what he had done, Freya being tightlipped on what had occurred exactly. Lenneth wondered if Freya even knew exactly what had happened, or if she and the Aesir were only processing the aftermath of Odin's murder. It was just one more thing for Lenneth to be curious about, the Goddess wondering if she'd be able to weasel out answers from her husband.

Lezard was waiting patiently for her to turn back to him, and she could read enough of his emotions to know it pleased him that she had finally taken notice of the room. In fact, he seemed to be waiting for her to say something more, though she couldn't imagine complimenting him or the room. He didn't deflate with disappointment though, just extending his hand out to hers.

"Shall we go?"

As loathe as she was to willingly touch him, Lenneth didn't hesitate. Lezard's smile brightened even more, his fingers closing around her hand, even as he tugged her towards him. She moved willingly enough, allowing him to put his arm around her, as he began to cast the beginnings of a teleportation spell. She felt reality waver and distort around them, the room becoming blurry, and then they faded away, slipping into the emptiness between realms.

Sorry short chapter...

To Be Continued!

Michelle

Z, thank you! I'm glad you liked his POV! 

Kaelin Voidshadow, thanks again! I'm glad you liked his pov, and felt it flowed well. And yes, his suffering has only just begun! But it should work out for him eventually!

Alpha Huntress, why thank you! I almost had some dialouge at the end, but sadly it wasn't working for me. So I switched out those last paragraphs, and kept it to Lezard's inner musings. Glad you think it worked! \o/ I'm happy you read it a few times to get it all settled in your mind! And yes, his impatience totally ruined the other fic for me...sadly...-_-


	6. Chapter 6

To walk between realms was always a jarring experience, the world blurring into nothing more than undefinable shapes. Light began to seep away from them, the space they occupied turning darker by the minute. A chill wind blew, rustling their clothing, and blowing out Lenneth's hair and Lezard's cape. She was grateful that her divinity protected her from much of the cold, Lenneth not wanting to press against Lezard, the only source of warmth that remained.

Then, just as suddenly as they had started, the teleport was finished, the nothingness pealing back. It was almost like turning the page of a picture book, a new scene appearing before them. Lenneth could grudgingly admit the land he had brought her to was beautiful, the Goddess pausing to just take in everything about the world.

They were standing on a high point of land, as though Lezard had purposefully chosen this exact spot to better show off his world. It offered a breath taking view,

Lenneth looking down at the islands of land, each one differing in size. They were separated by a sea of clouds, the islands floating much like the land masses of Asgard. But while Asgard's sky was blue and scattered with white clouds, these were colored in reds, gold's, and oranges.

They were dark red on top, almost black, with red and orange for the sides, and gold evening out between clouds. The grouping of clouds was continuous, not a break in them, obscuring whatever was below them. It looked very much like molten lava, and she wondered what it would feel like to touch these particular clouds. Would they be hot to the touch, or would a cool mist surround her skin? The idle curiosity didn't move her enough to experiment, Lenneth pulling out of Lezard's arms to walk the island they were on.

It was one of the larger land masses that she could see, mountains jutting out, and forming caverns of space between them. The rocky land of the mountainscape was colored in soft shades of purple and pink, the light of the setting sun turning the stone from it's usual boring hues of gray. Green moss grew about the rock, long strips of it, sometimes forming a border around the stone edges.

She walked to one of the edges now, nearly gasping in delight as she peered down into one of the caverns. There was a lake down below her, a round pool of white and gray water, that flowed outwards into a stream that extended the length of the cavern, until the water poured down into the clouds, making a vaporous mist appear at that end.

The water seemed to originated from a large hole carved into one of the mountain's sides, a pure white waterfall flowing down into the lake. Around the water, was a field of grass, it's green and gold hues differing greatly from the shades that colored the mountain's moss. Further out from the lake, the grass gave way to lavender and pink, some sort of wild flowers that were trying to overtake the land with their growth.

Almost without thinking, she began to navigate down the mountain's path, the way zig zagging as though carved into the stone at the last minute. Footsteps behind her let her know Lezard was following, but Lenneth didn't pause, picking her way carefully downwards. The soft satin slippers she wore were impractical for this kind of terrain, Lenneth moving to kick off her shoes, leaving them to lay where they had fallen.

She soon reached the bottom of the cavern, Lenneth stepping into the field of flowers. The grass and dirt felt good beneath her bare feet, cool and damp from the spray of the waterfall. She could smell the breezy, lake side scents, the water fresh and pure, the flowers fragrant.

Drawing closer to the lake, Lenneth peered into it's depths, but it was cloudy, the white looking like snow amidst gray fog. Whatever might live in the pool was hidden from her eyes, the surface rippling continuously from the splash of new water entering the lake.

"It's beautiful." She finally said, when Lezard drew up besides her. She was gazing up at the waterfall, looking at it's point of origin, and how the water had smoothed out the sides of it's mountain's hole. One would never know that just days ago this waterfall, this island, had not existed, the land looking like untouched beauty that had been around for centuries.

"Thank you." Lezard answered, his voice sounding pleased. "I labored on this world for days." There was no hesitation to what he was saying, Lenneth curious glance turning to surprise at his next words. "I wanted this world to be special. To be perfect for you."

"For me?" He nodded then, and she frowned. "Why would you bother?"

"I think the question you should ask is why would I not go to such lengths to impress upon you the depths of my love and devotion." Countered Lezard. "Lenneth, I would do almost anything to prove myself to you, to prove myself worthy and deserving of your time and consideration, of your love."

"I have no love to give." Lenneth answered, turning her back to him. "Not to you, not to anyone."

"You're wrong!" Passionate denial was in his voice, so much that it surprised Lenneth, though she didn't bother to look at him again. "Lenneth you..."

"I am, as you said, a Death Goddess." She reminded him then. "Love and the passions it arouses are not something I am familiar with, nor do I desire them. You couldn't have made a greater mistake in choosing me for your bride." It was perhaps dangerous to make him aware of the disappointments she offered him in that regard, but Lenneth wanted it all laid out on the line. Lezard had to know that no matter how grand a gesture, how thoughtful and kind he pretended to be, it would not move a heart that was dead to love.

"No." A quiet utterance, but one that did not lack the power of conviction. "You can, you're so much more than just a Death Goddess! Lenneth, I know you are capable of great things."

"Oh?" She turned then, an eyebrow arched at him. "Where does that knowledge come from?" He had no answer for her then, falling silent. "I know nothing but devotion to my duty as Valkyrie, and the loyalty to my creator, Odin. There is no room for anything else."

"You love your sisters." Came his reply, stopping her in her tracks when she tried to walk away from him. "And you care for the Aesir, for else you wouldn't have agreed to this union between us."

"And look where that concern has gotten me!" Lenneth exclaimed, her anger riled up. "Married to Odin's slayer, torn from the only world I have ever known, forced to make nice with a murderer. If this is what feelings lead to, then I want no part of them!"

"I understand this isn't the best of situations..." Lezard told her, calm where she was angry. "But Lenneth, in time you will see..."

"See what?" She demanded with an angry snort.

"You'll see how beneficial this marriage between us is." Lezard finished up with a sigh. She fixed him with a skeptical look, clearly not believing his words. "Don't you see Lenneth? You're already feeling things, things you have not felt in forever, maybe not ever."

She had to bite her lip to keep from snarling out that the only things she felt was hatred and disgust, but the new God seemed to sense where her thoughts laid. "Yes, you are angry." He acknowledged. "Yes, you hate me now. But it won't always be that way..."

"How can you say that?" Lenneth demanded. "Where does this confidence come from? Even if we do spend eternity together, where does the notion that I will come to ever feel something more for you come from?"

"Hope springs eternal." She made a scoffing sound then, practically sneering at his idea of hope. "And Lenneth, I can be a very patient man. And the fact of the matter is that already the seeds are planted in you, emotions and feelings blossoming in you. Yes, you only feel negative emotions right now, but I am sure that in time, the positive will start to flourish within you."

"And you are what? Prepared to wait for that eventuality?" Lenneth demanded snidely, hardly pleased when he nodded. "You won't." She scoffed, and turned from him. "You'll tire eventually, and take what you want from me. And then..." She wouldn't allow her shoulders to sag, wouldn't allow despair to fill her at the words that followed. "You will discard me. Use me like you did Odin and my sister."

She was already moving away, following the outgoing stream of the lake. Lezard was left behind her, the man sputtering in reply. Her words had seemed to shock him, leaving Lezard unable to form a coherent retort. To Lenneth that was just proof that she was correct about Lezard's true intentions towards hers. But that assumption didn't make her happy, Lenneth allowing a bitter look on her face as she walked.

After a moment, Lezard's footsteps joined hers, the man hurrying after her. Her back stiffened at his approach, Lenneth wondering what his next move would be, if he would strike her down then and there in retaliation for the words she had said. Words she felt were nothing but the truth, ugly though they may be.

"Lenneth..." His hand touched her arm, but didn't close around it for she was already jerking away from him. She saw the upset in his eyes, Lezard not trying to mask his expression as he confronted her. "Is that what you think? Is that what you've been torturing yourself with this entire time?"

"I am accepting of my duty." That wasn't entirely true, Lenneth knowing she had been railing against the fate she had been thrust into the moment Freya had told her she was to be married. "If through my sacrifice, I can ensure the continued well being of the Aesir, then I will die gladly."

"You're not going to die!" Lezard snapped at her, voice angry. He immediately softened his expression and tone, his irritation seeming to fade away. "Certainly not by my hand. And if anyone else tries anything, it will be they who suffer and not you."

"I am well capable of defending myself." Lenneth pointed out to him. "I neither want nor need your protection."

"You have it nonetheless." Lezard answered. "Lenneth, put these foolish thoughts out of mind. I did not bring you here with the intent of one day killing you. You...you above all others, are safe. You are the one being I would never purposefully try to harm."

"Why?" Lenneth asked. "Because you love me?"

"Yes." A simple answer, but no less heartfelt, stopping the snort she had intended to make. Silence followed his answer, Lenneth staring searchingly into his eyes. She could see herself reflected in them, her lips in perpetual frown, Lenneth always on edge when dealing with this God. She felt disturbed by how certain he was of this love he claimed to feel for her, and her earlier fears still remained. One day Lezard would grow tired of the chase, and heaven help her then!

"You consign us both to an eternity of misery." She at last answered, and was then moving. Lezard quickly followed, making a curious sound behind her. "I may not have much to do with love, but in the course of my duty as Valkyrie, I have had experiences with the mortals."

"Oh?"

"I do not know how much you are aware of my powers..." continued Lenneth, following the path of the stream. It was curving round the side of one of the mountains that bordered this cavern, and in the distance she could see where it trailed off to the ends of the island. "As Chooser of the slain, I decide among the warriors who die in battle, just who is worthy to fight for Asgard."

"Everyone knows this much." Lezard said, and she nodded.

"What is not common knowledge among the mortals is, I use my powers to see into the past of a soul. I see the events leading up to the soul's death, and very rarely is it pretty." She spoke without inflection to her voice, Lenneth matter of fact about this aspect of a human's soul. "In the course of my tenure as Valkyrie, I've seen the many ways emotion plays into the deaths of humans. Greed, hatred, even desire."

A glance over her shoulder showed Lezard was listening intently to her. "Sometimes I think the emotion known as love, the desire for it, leads to the ugliest of deaths. There have been men, and even a few women, who desired love so strongly, they were willing to kill for it. Once there was even a great war fought for the love of one woman, a war that lasted for several years. Many died for a king's lust for a woman that did not want him, and in the end, though he stood victorious over his enemies, the woman had killed herself to avoid falling into his hands. I often wondered what the point of that war had been, especially since no one got what they wanted in the end."

Lenneth sighed then, trying to shake the memories from her. She had felt the anguish of the souls involved in that particular war, and not just from it's leaders, but the soldiers who fought for them. Many of the men and women who died had been confused about what they had wasted their lives for, thinking the war meaningless. They could have understood protecting their land from invaders, but could not condone a war fought simply based on lust.

"I've seen the humans at their worse for love, poisoning each other with their hate, suffocating and smothering others with their lust. Assassins hired, poisons brewed, people dying. Sometimes the person killed was the one who did not return the other's love. Other times, they merely had the misfortune of loving the person who was desired so strongly. Even on occasion, was I called down to judge the one who had instigated a battle over love. I did not look favorably on those fools."

"It's not foolish to love." Argued Lezard. She shrugged then, not surprised he would think that. "Some would say love is the greatest motivator of them all, the one thing worth living for."

"And do you think that?" Lenneth asked, nearly to the end of the island.

"I didn't use to." Lezard admitted with a rueful sounding chuckle. "I was once a lot like you, thinking it foolish and not worth my time. I can admit to being amused by those who strove for it, the antics of theirs as they pursued an uninterested lover. But, and I suspect this is true for all men and women. Love changes us, and though it makes us fools, we are better for it. I know I'm better for having fallen in love with you."

"Better..." She echoed, staring down at the water flowing into the clouds. Here the water was so dark a gray it was almost black, flowing down into the cloud bank, which caused it to steam. Orange gold light rose up from where the water touched the clouds, making a thick, red mist that obscured the island across from this one. But she knew it was out there for she had seen it when she stood at the top of one of the cavern's mountains.

"Yes, better." Lezard insisted, and she nearly laughed then, an angry bitter sound. It surprised him, she could tell, Lenneth turning to look at him with her eyes narrowed.

"And what crimes have you committed in order to capture this love of yours?" She demanded.

"I've..." He sighed out an admittance, but did not look regretful or ashamed of his actions. "I've killed. I've back stabbed and betrayed allies, willfully done these things all in order to get close to you. And I would do them again, gladly for the chance to see a smile on your face, to hear your voice, or to feel the touch of your hair."

"Then you've damned yourself all for nothing." Lenneth retorted coldly. "Even if I was capable of love, how could I ever come to feel for a murderer? Especially one whose killed my King, my creator."

"Love is different between Gods and mortals." He seemed to have an answer for everything. "There are stories, countless in number, of the trades and arrangements, the forced marriages between Aesir and Vanir. In some cases love bloomed, even for a short time. Did not Freya come to love Odin, even though she was his prisoner?"

That question of his made her angry, Lenneth remembering how she had asked Freya something similar just before the ceremony. Freya's answer hadn't made Lenneth feel at ease, the Goddess determined not to fall to a snake's charms and good looks. Nor did Lenneth see the point in making the best of a bad situation, the Goddess sure that for all Lezard's claims, he would dispose of her once he tired of her.

"What is that land like across this mist?" Lenneth asked, trying to steer the conversation towards new ground. She didn't miss the smirk that crossed Lezard's lips, or the gentle chide he voiced.

"Trying to ignore these questions and my love for you, will not make it go away, Lenneth. At best you can only put it aside for a while, before it comes back stronger than ever."

"I see no point in continuing such a displeasing conversation." Lenneth retorted, and his smirk deepened.

"It's displeasing because there's a ring of truth to what I say." He was all bold in his confidence, a knowing look in his eyes. "Freya loved Odin, enough to become his right hand. Such was her love she would have died defending him if she could have."

"And now she suffers for it." Lenneth pointed out. "You've cast her in misery by killing her love!" She saw Lezard had no answer for that, blinking owlishly behind his glasses. "What kind of person would I be to profit from her broken heart?"

"It was not you who killed Odin..." Lezard managed a feeble protest.

"But it was for me that you did these things. You admitted as much!" Lenneth exclaimed. "Don't you see Lezard, for every person you killed, for every betrayal you performed, those sins are on me as much as they are on you!"

"N...no..."

"Your love is tainted!" Lenneth finished with a glare. "It'll poison everything you touch, even me!" A jagged arc of lighting appeared in the sky, the sun having dimmed. A storm was coming, sudden and violent, thunder rumbling. Lenneth wondered if it had anything to do with this world's creator, the mood he was experiencing being reflected on this world.

"I...I didn't...I don't..." Lezard stammered, so uncertain and upset in the moment. "It's not like that!" He suddenly bellowed, his voice very much like the thunder that boomed in response. "My love is pure! It's the only good thing in my life, YOU are the only good thing in my life. I will not destroy that, no matter how tainted you think my feelings are, how evil you find my intentions!"

Lenneth said nothing, just gave him a disbelieving look. It only served to agitate him further, Lezard running a hand through his hair. "This isn't how it was supposed to be..." He mumbled under his breath.

"Oh? What did you expect then?" Lenneth demanded, but he seemed not to hear her. He actually paced away from her, continuing to mutter, and it was Lenneth who followed him, trying to hear over the constant sound of thunder.

"This was supposed to be my second chance." Lezard whispered hoarsely. "To try with a Lenneth who didn't know me...a Lenneth who had little reason to hate me. Some things were unavoidable, Odin's death was unavoidable, but I didn't expect her to hold such a grudge..."

She could barely hear him, and what she made out was confusing. Just what did Lezard mean by a Lenneth who did not know him? She didn't know, Lenneth frowning, and trying to get his attention.

"Lezard..." The sky opened up, rain begginning to pelt down on them. Her white dress quickly soaked through, clinging to her skin. Lezard suffered a similar fate, cape wet and dragging behind him. The water, freezing as it was, seemed to be what calmed him down, Lezard ceasing his pacing. He paused to push up his glasses, the panes wet and fogging up.

"We shouldn't stay here any longer." Lezard said, and held out his hand to her.

Lenneth reached to take it, but offered a suggestion of her own. "Show me the rest of your world." It was her way of delaying return back to their living quarters, Lenneth not wanting to be locked into so close a space with Lezard for an extended period of time.

He didn't answer her, not with words, Lezard pulling Lenneth against him. She could feel the ether he cast settling around them, the sparkles warm where the rain was cold. The lake's stream and the red mist blurred, the pair disappearing from the island.

I don't really like this chapter at all...T_T I kinda feel it sucks in comparison to the others. But the conversation once I got it started didn't prove as hard as I feared it would be. That's one of the main reasons for delays between chapters. I keep tripping up over what to have them say to each other. And yes that war Lenneth was thinking about, I imagined to be a Norse version of Helen of Troy! XD

To Be continued...

Michelle

Kaelin Voidshadow, it's funny you should call her his Juliet. One of my unwritten ideas is well...I want to do a Romeo and Juliet type idea, with Lenneth of course being an Aesir Goddess, while Lezard is a Jotunehim Vanir! Maybe someday I will actually write this idea out beyond a summary. XD And thank you! And yes, Lezard can be scary when his angry, so I wouldn't want to be that mortal!

Kousagi, aw thanks! But I feel like I kinda let you down with the descriptions in this particular chapter. Originally I was gonna go with the game settings, but then my friend sent me these beautiful pictures of scenery. I tried to describe some of them in this chapter. And maybe for next chapter too!

Alpha Huntress, thanks! Heh heh...she's so off her game when it comes to him, to any unwanted attention! Let alone from a mortal who killed for her to become a God to get her to notice him! XD And yes, you're right. He has to remain persistent if he hopes to ever win her. As for the materializing, I want to...well I didn't in this chapter, but hopefully next chapter, some of the denizens of his world come out. So that later they'll have a fight, and she'll go off with her sword, and work out her aggravation on the monsters of his world! Which would both impress and annoy Lezard! XD Glad I could make you giggle, even if it was unintentional.

God Emperor Nex, thank you! Although I don't know about that. She just was creeped out if anything by his good points! XD

Lord Lezard Valeth, aw thanks! Sadly, I never liked chapters two and three of the original war bride. Enough that it made me stop working on the fic. I have high hopes for this version though, if I can just advance it forward. I swear, it's mainly the conversations that are tripping me up, and the thought of trying to show her developing feelings for him. *flails about in a panic over that.* Sorry I made you wait so long for a new chapter. But this story is hard to write these early chapters than that of the Stolen.


	7. Chapter 7

Lezard bit back a moan, for once not taking advantage of the teleportation to hold Lenneth closer than was needed. She was surely grateful for the reprieve, the Goddess always so stiff and unyielding when his arms were around her. He almost laughed then, but it wasn't funny, the thought that followed. For so far Lenneth had been anything but compliant, always on edge, always ready to do battle with him though she limited herself to harsh words for the moment.

Her words were more than sufficient to do him damage, sharper than any sword she could wield. Especially most recently, those words of her hurting him, striking fast and true to his heart. They left him staggered, in a way few other things could do now that he had attained divinity. Certainly Lenneth held more power to hurt him than any of the other God's in Asgard, their attacks pathetic and pitiful compared to a few carefully aimed words of the Goddess.

There was a grain of truth to some of what she said, Lezard knowing he had killed and performed countless misdeeds in order to win Lenneth for himself. His hands were dirty, covered in more blood than the Goddess even realized. He knew she would be disgusted, rightfully so, if she knew of all he had done. Of the elves and humans he had killed, all in a twisted attempt to build a vessel to house a single soul.

Lightning flashed, startling Lezard for he hadn't even realized they had come out of the teleportation. Lenneth, his love, his desire, the sole being in existence capable of tormenting him, immediately pulled away from him. The act of moving from him immediately let a pang of his heart out, Lezard fighting not to put a hand to his chest. If she noticed the discomfort he was in, Lenneth took no pity on him, the Goddess moving to explore this new area.

Lezard barely took note of where they had ended up, save to see the trees that surrounded them. They formed a thick canopy overhead, blocking much of the heavy downpour of rain from them. But drops still slipped through, wetting the land beneath the tree's branches. Lezard would have preferred to have gone back to chambers he had appointed for himself and Lenneth, but hadn't been able to deny Lenneth when she asked to see more of his world.

Part of him thought he was being a coward, to avoid returning to the bedroom with her. He knew that only unpleasantness could follow them there, especially in the hostile mood Lenneth was in. At least here, exploring the world he had made, she seemed less angry, her curiosity overriding much of her emotions. It was only when Lezard tried to speak to her, that she had turned on him, eyes narrowed and full of something very close to hate.

He couldn't stop thinking about the exchange they had had, and the feelings and insecurities she had stirred up in him. Lezard had never imagined it would be easy to win Lenneth, but some part of him had deluded himself into thinking it wouldn't be quite as difficult as it was proving to be. He had been viewing the Lenneth of the past as his second chance, and though he had expected some minimal resistance from her, Lezard hadn't expected the goddess to feel so strongly against him.

The Lenneth of his time, for all he had done for her, hated him. Of that he had no doubt of. She simply couldn't, wouldn't forgive him for his crimes against elves and humans, that he had tried to twist the very laws of nature in making a homunculus for her soul. She seemed to overlook the fact that that very act had been what had saved her from total oblivion, the new body allowing her to evolve into something more than just a sixth level Goddess.

She barely acknowledge him after all was said and done, and that was worse than any hatred she felt for him. He was an insignificant speck to the Lenneth of that time, and it had forced him to go through desperate measures to somehow fix this wrong. It had been difficult, the way fraught with peril, the journey long. But he had managed to travel back in time, hundreds of years, all to put into motion the act of becoming a God. All to better woo a Lenneth who had little to no preconceived notions of him.

Sometimes, when Lenneth was being especially argumentative, Lezard began to despair. To wonder if the act of killing Odin was enough to make the Goddess forever hate him. He couldn't bear those kind of doubts, Lezard trying to remind himself of what he knew of the Gods. The Philosopher's stone whispered many things to him, and Lezard had studied extensively on the history of the God's past. The stone was a wealth of knowledge, containing information the mortals did not know. Coups did happen, Gods slain and replaced, the others coming to accept the interloper after a time.

Time was the key, it and patience being needed for him to work through this rough period with Lenneth. He kept thinking about the hostage situations, and the forced marriages that had taken place among both the Aesir and Vanir. Situations that worked out mostly for the better, the couples coming to if not love one another, than to at least tolerate each other. But he wanted more than just Lenneth's tolerance, he wanted her love and devotion, her support and her caring.

As things stood he had none of that, but then he hadn't expected it from the start. He knew he had to earn it, and cultivate feelings of love in her. The feelings she claimed to be incapable of feeling. But Lezard knew better, having born personal witness to the depths of the Goddess' love. Something like anger always filled him when he thought of the unworthy mortal who had stolen the Lenneth of the present's heart from him. Lucian, a handsome if stupid human, who had helped to start Ragnarok through his foolish actions.

Lezard would never understand what Lenneth had seen in the mortal, or why Lucian had been rewarded for helping to nearly end the world. The boy was an exact opposite of Lezard in thought and deeds, and Lenneth had loved him. He'd never forget the moment in the field of weeping lilies, the Goddess frantic, and searching for something. The amount of emotion she had displayed then had ingrained a permanent reminder on his heart, Lenneth in tears, and suffering the pain of her heart break.

That heart break is what he held on to now, Lezard taking hope from it that Lenneth would be capable of such feelings again. He just had to be the one to inspire such devotion, and to do that he had to remain calm, his thoughts and feelings collected. Which was easier said then done, the world's weather reflecting how upset he had gotten by Lenneth earlier. Even now the storm rage on, lightning sparking in the sky, giving light to the dark forest.

The forest itself was beautiful, and in the darkness it held an ethereal glow. The bark of the trees were nearly black, but their leaves were a luminescent blue. It reminded Lezard of Lenneth's hair when it shone with the light of the sun on it, and the grass covering the forest's ground was a similar shade. There was quickly expanding puddles of water, which reflected the forest, the images just as beautiful especially when Lenneth crossed close to one.

He tried not to be obvious in staring at her, but he couldn't help it. She was lovely, even soaked as she was. Her white dress was some thick material that just barely kept her from turning indecent in the rain. Her long, unbound hair held a multitude of droplets of water, each seeming frozen into place. She was lit by what little light was seeping down from the opening in the forest's canopy, a silver lining of light that sparked brighter whenever lightning flashed.

Just looking at her in this moment was almost enough to calm him down, Lezard concentrating more on Lenneth than his own breathing. She was moving about, for the most part looking without touching, though occasionally she paused to lean over something that caught her eye. Usually it was a flower of some kind, like the one currently twining around the bark of one tree.

He wondered what she was thinking in the moment, if she was as bothered as he was by the conversation they had had. After all, she had accused his love of being tainted, that his touch would poison each and everything that received it. But how could she believe that when face with the beauty of the world he had created? A world he had labored on for days, tending to every detail, and still it was incomplete.

There was so much more to flesh out, so much more to do, but Lezard knew he had time for that later. The more pressing matter, the true concern was Lenneth. It was always the Goddess, Lenneth always on his mind, to the point of distraction. He dared to draw closer to her, Lenneth straightening at his approach. The look in her cerulean colored eyes was wary, the Goddess distrustful of what his nearness meant.

Truth be known, he didn't know what to say to her, Lezard wanting to avoid another tongue lashing from his love. Lenneth seemed no less eager than he, maintaining the silence between them. It was a stark reminder that she almost never chose to initiate conversation between them, leaving him to flounder for what to say to her. He wondered if she did that on purpose in an attempt to throw him off balance, or if Lenneth was just that unpracticed at social conventions.

Not that he was much better when it came to social situations! Especially around one that mattered as much as Lenneth did to him. Lezard knew everything rode on what he said and did, his words and actions could be damning the relationship further. And heaven knows he couldn't afford any more setbacks considering the way things stood between him and Lenneth now!

"I've...noticed something about this world of yours." Lenneth surprised him by being the one to break the silence, Lezard nearly forgetting to respond to her words.

"Oh? What?" There was no curious inflection to his words, Lezard just trying to keep calm enough to reply.

"Yes." She fixed him with a strange look then. "I have not seen any other signs of life, no creatures of any kind save for the flowers and plants that decorate the land. Why is that?"

"Well..." He blinked, sheepish in the moment. "I haven't really had time to do much beyond crafting the land. I hope in the coming days to perhaps start to bring in life to walk these levels."

"It would be a waste for there not to be someone around to appreciate this landscape." Lenneth told him, her head seeming to nod in approval. But there was a frown on her face, the Goddess shifting as though listening for something.

"What is it?" He asked, and she continued to frown. She started to shake her head no, then changed her mind, eyeing him curiously.

"I can sense this is not all there is to the world, that what little you show me hides it's true nature."

"It's true nature?" Lezard repeated, and Lenneth nodded.

"It's all very pretty what you've shown me. But every world has a dark side..."

"Even Asgard?" he was part teasing in asking that, but she took it seriously.

"Some would say Midgard was that dark side." A pause, face blanking of expression. "Sometimes I would believe that after the things I witness the mortals doing."

"Only sometimes?" Lezard questioned, and she hesitated.

"On occasion, when I was close to believing what the other Gods would say about the mortals and their land, the humans would surprise me with an act of goodness. An act that would make me doubt everything. I suspect that goodness is what keeps the Gods from destroying Midgard completely."

"And yet Odin acted to begin Midgard's decline." Lezard saw how that surprised her, Lenneth's eyes widening for an instant before she narrowed them at him in suspicion. "Ah yes, you were asleep for all that." He gave her a smile, though it held no humor to it. "Odin sent your sister Hrist to take the Dragon Orb from Midgard. I dare say even now the orb is in the treasure vault of Asgard."

"What? Why would he do such a thing?" Lenneth demanded, hands on her hips.

"You would do better to ask one who was privy to Odin's secret desires." Lezard answered. "I suppose Freya might know..."

"And will I ever get a chance to speak with her? To leave this world and walk among Asgard's fields once more?" Lenneth wanted to know.

"Perhaps." It was all he would say to that, Lezard not sure he wanted to let Lenneth return to Asgard even for a temporary visit. It might be selfish of him, but he wanted to keep the Goddess all to himself. To hide her away from all others, to keep her from friends and family, and those that might attempt to steal her away from him. But it went beyond guarding her like a treasure, Lezard feeling the more time she was forced to spend with him, the more she would have no choice but to develop a close relationship with her husband.

He could see the faults in that plan, but hoped the tactic worked in his favor. Lezard knew he was being the type to force himself on another, to suffocate them with his presence until they had no choice but to accept him. Perhaps then he would be able to relax, Lenneth's love won, all would be right with his world.

But, as Lenneth's frown told him, that was still a long way off. "Perhaps..." He began, wanting to bring some cheer to her eyes. "Freya can come visit you here. Would you like that Lenneth?"

"I'd rather go to her, but I will accept what I can get." Lenneth grumbled to his amusement.

"Then I will see about arranging a visit at my earliest convenience."

"Thank you." She grudgingly bit out, then stepped away from him. He followed her, noting the storm has lessened in intensity during their conversation. The sky no longer crackled with lightning, and thunder no longer boomed. The rain still fell, but it was a far gentler shower than it had been, reflecting his improved mood. A mood that was in good spirits until Lenneth turned back to him. "I still want to see it."

"It?" He inquired blankly.

"The rest of your world." She clarified. "I want to see it all, including that which you try to hide from me."

"What makes you think I am hiding anything?" Lezard's question earned a patronizing look from Lenneth, the Goddess frowning once more.

"I can feel it." She said at last. "There's energy out there...it ripples across my skin, and it is not a pleasant feeling. There is foulness in this world...perhaps one you invited in, or maybe an element you were unable to keep from taking root. Whatever the case, it is here, and I want to see it."

A long silence followed her words, Lezard almost looking away from Lenneth. Damn but he had forgotten her divine powers would let her sense things about this world, and though his power had been able to muffle the true nature of his security system, Lenneth knew it was out there. Knew and was not content to feign ignorance about it.

"All right." Lezard sighed, and moved to take her into his arms. She went into his embrace with suspicion, but was eager enough for all the curiosity she harbored about this hidden element. "I'll show you..." He prayed she wouldn't judge him, Lezard drawing them in between realities, and just as quickly taking them out. "Feast your eyes on the level intruders to my world will first come across."

She stepped away from him, taking in the twisted looks of the land. It was cold here, inhospitably so, no sun in the sky to lend warmth to the land. Snow fell constantly, stirred up by a harsh wind. It blew the snow everywhere, quickly getting it in their faces and sticking to their clothes. It was the same with the land, the snow white powder covering the ground.

Lenneth's hair blew about wildly, it would surely tangle from the harsh treatment it was receiving from the wind. And yet she made no move to get her hair under control, turning slowly to look around. He wondered what she was thinking, Lezard spying bits of what was beneath the snow in the jagged protrusions of dark gray rock that rose up out of the powder. Such was the sharpness of the uneven rock, that a mortal would have easily sliced open their hands on it with a passing touch.

Not that he expected mortals to be able to find this world, but Lezard had tried to be prepared for any eventuality. The land was broken into islands, each patch separated from one another, with long drawn out jumps between them. Some of the strips of land were long, extending for miles at a time. But many of the others were small, thin little dais that could barely support the weight of one person, let alone two.

Sometimes the land overlapped, a pathway emerging to the side of the strips. Shadows were cast on the land, the islands sometimes being directly above one another, giving the impression that little if any thought had went into the layout of this level.

"This is just the first of many such levels." Lezard told her, having to shout to be heard over the howling of the wind. "Each one is different, and just as dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Lenneth asked, moving to follow him down a pathway. She had arched an eyebrow, gesturing about her in disbelief. "It's is not a pleasant atmosphere, but I hardly see how this could discourage intruders of a divine nature."

"It is not just the divine I seek to keep away." Lezard told her, and turned a corner. The energy he had been masking flared to life, and he heard Lenneth hiss in surprise, the snow thinning on the ground. Symbols were revealed, trapped within round circles of power. The circles and symbols were carved into the rock, lit up with a glow of subtle purple that hinted at some kind of spell.

"Be careful not to tread across these symbols." Lezard advised Lenneth, already stepping carefully around the circles. Lenneth nodded, and slowly moved after him, but her eyes were all for the symbols and the power they emanated. It would take a fool not to realize the spells they contained were powerful, and quick to release if someone should step across the circle's circumference.

It wasn't the last or most lethal of his defenses, Lezard walking the land, letting his power send out a summons. An answer was given, an unnatural bellow of some monstrous being. He didn't have to look at Lenneth to know she had gone stiff with shock, more screams filling the air. Wings flapped overhead, something heavy flying towards them, even as other unnatural sounds were heard.

"What have you done?" Lenneth cried out, moved enough to grab him by the arm. Lezard turned at her insistence, seeing her enraged expression that was warring with the horrified look in her eyes. She knew what those sounds meant, recognized the approaching energy as something unholy.

The first of the monsters arrived, undead abominations that were demonic and twisted in appearance. Their eyes glowed with a red light, lips pulled back to show saliva coated fangs, and their claws were curled in perpetration for the first strike. Lenneth tensed up besides him, her own hands clenching into fist, her right one reaching for a sword that was not there.

"Lenneth calm yourself!" Lezard said, grabbing her and holding her fast to his side. She struggled wildly, but he caught sight of her angry eyes, the Goddess spoiling for a fight. "They mean you no harm."

"They are undead! Abominations! Killers of both mortal and divine, they hunger for souls to bring to Hel's domain." Her eyes narrowed, Lenneth as suspicious as she was angry. "Why would you bring such deformities into your world?"

"They make an effective deterrent to intruders. As you yourself stated, even the divine can die by these creature's hands."

She shook her head, wind whipping her hair about wildly. "I don't understand...why risk it...why toil with such things?"

"I've always valued my privacy." He was half joking when he said that, but it had a ring of truth to it. Even when he had been nothing more than mere mortal, he had filled his tower home with all manner of monsters to discourage visitors.

"You may be sacrificing your life, your very soul for your vaunted privacy!" Lenneth was still trying to get free, and he feared she'd rush one of the monsters in her eagerness to destroy the creatures. "How could you align yourself with Hel? You are even more evil than I thought!"

It was as though she had slapped him across his face, and only his will power kept him from dropping his hold on Lenneth in response. "I made no pact with that she devil." He told her. "These monsters are my own creation, and have no ties or allegiance to anyone but me. Fear not Goddess, even I would not be so foolish as to deal with the Queen of Niflehiem."

She didn't look reassured, though her struggles lessened somewhat. "I will owe no one." Lezard said, giving a nod of his head. "Any power I take, any defense I erect, will be all of my own doing. I will not share my throne with anyone save you, nor will I allow your...open disgust of the undead to keep me from making use of similar creatures to guard my realm."

Lenneth's jaw dropped at that, she was blinking rapidly as though trying to hide whatever emotions she felt in the moment. She flinched when a dragon flew overhead, it's shadow blocking what little light there was to this level. He could sympathize with the helpless feeling she must be experiencing, to be held back against that which had always been such a prominent enemy of the Gods. But Lenneth needed to learn, these monsters were no threat to her and him, existing as a measure to ensure their safety.

"This tour is over with." He added, and with a flourish cast them between realms. Lezard could feel the weariness in that action, the man not having slept for what felt like a week though in truth only a handful of days had gone since his last nap. But the excitement of his new powers was fading, Lezard growing tired not just from the display of them, but from the argumentative words of Lenneth.

Weary and full of disappointments, it was Lezard who stepped away from the still visibly angry Lenneth. "You need to change your clothes." He said to her, gesturing towards the rack of dresses in the corner nearest to their bed. "There is a bathing chamber down that corridor. You can take your leisure there..."

He barely registered any words Lenneth muttered, the Goddess perusing the dresses on display before snatching one off the rack, By the time she had fled from the room, he had sunk down into a chair, his body relaxing almost immediately. He didn't fight the weariness any longer, Lezard slipping away to steal a few moments of sleep.

To Be Continued!

And Yes, I like this chapter much better than the last one! XD

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, that's right. At least for now. Gotta remember this is only the second day, and our ice maiden has a long way to go before she melts! XD Your comment makes me want to reread their heated exchange, just to see what you see! XD But that's good! And yes, I really need to take my own advice when it comes to writing. I have to not be hard on myself, not say the chapter sucks, or worry if it seems to short. But it's so hard not to badmouth myself! And thanks for everything!

LordLezardValeth, thanks! I did too! I actually was gonna base it on the game world completely. I had put in the game, and written about ten paragraphs of details all set to use them in the fic right. And then maybe an hour after I did that, my friend sent me this email with these beautiful pictures of scenery, called God's paintings. They were so beautiful, they inspired me to try and describe them here. But as you see, I managed to describe a little of the game world too in this chapter!

Ha ha ha, I can just imagine Lenneth's reaction to time travel if he ever tells her that aspect of his past. XD You're a little wrong about the resistance part...I can't really say why without spoiling, but it will be revealed when Freya and Lenneth have a visit. So hopefully before chapter 10. What I can say is, I haven't forgotten about the other set of Gods, the ones in Jotunheim either! So let's just say he'll have Aesir and Vanir problems...It's sooooooo hard not to spoil my own fic! And hard to get it advance to the reveal...I really hope I can get the Freya Lenneth visit written by chapter ten...And thanks for being patient about updates. For some reason Valkyrie Profile fics are now harder for me to write than my other fandom Voltron. It's mainly Lezard and Lenneth, I love them to pieces, but their interactions give me headaches. I also had an idea for an Odin Sphere like Lezard Lenneth idea...but I'm still trying to figure out the details of some things before I try to write more than a summary of it.


	8. Chapter 8

The splash of the water was continuos, the streams ever flowing, spouting forth from the sculpted mouths of elaborate stone like statues. Their heads were shaped like a horses, mouths open just enough to let the water cascade downwards. The bodies, which were submerged under water, were where they differed, losing much of a horse's bulk to take on a more streamlined appearance of a fish.

It was seahorses that stood guard over the waters, one in each of the four corners of the large pool that pulled duty as a bathtub. Their wet bodies gleamed under the water, iridescent streaks of colors on their skin, some colored minerals that blazed beautifully. Their eyes were made of jade and sapphires, and their sculpted manes were well worn groves of hair on their back.

The water that flowed into the pool was warm, pleasantly so, reminding Lenneth of a hot spring she had visited once long ago. But this pool was no natural occurring spring, and bore little resemblance to the one of her memories. If anything, it made her think of Freya's private bathing chamber, the two rooms rivaling each other in size. This room was predominately white marble and tile, accented with strands of silver on the walls and floor.

There was no windows in this room, the walls smooth and uninterrupted save for the one door to the right of the pool. Lenneth had made sure to secure that door, locking it behind her and putting up a ward of power. She didn't expect that ward to keep out her husband if he was truly determined to get at her, but at least in the breaking of it, it would give her time to get out and get dressed.

Lenneth wouldn't put it past Lezard to try for an ill timed seduction as she bathed, although seduction was too mild a word for what she would call any attempts at romance from him. As such she was on edge, having been reluctant to strip off her wet garments, even as she was glad to be rid of the offending wedding gown. She had carelessly left it on the floor, along with the slip and undergarments, not giving them a second thought.

But it was her husband who Lenneth kept thinking about, the Goddess unable to escape his presence even with the bathing chamber a full corridor away from where she had left him. There was much to muse about, and some of her thoughts had her shaking in an attempt to suppress her anger. It was an anger that had been born on

the heels of her discovery of his monsters, that abominable security system he had laid into place in his world.

Her skin crawled at the thought of sharing a world, her so called new home, with those creatures, Lenneth making soapy fists in the water. Her anger was doing a slow boil, simmering just short of violence, Lenneth wanting to lash out at something, anything. Preferably her husband, though she held back that impulse for now. As much as Lezard had done, and continued to do, Lenneth found she couldn't quite believe the audacity of that man. It was sheer nerve he possessed, and not just when it came to Lenneth and the other Gods, but to the creatures he was filling his world with.

She didn't feel better at Lezard's claims that the monsters bore no allegiance to Hel, the similarities between them and the undead of Niflehiem far too great for the Goddess to ignore. They looked and felt like the soul stealers, those ruinous creatures who not only killed, but granted an eternity of torment at their Queen's hands. She shivered anew, the warm water doing nothing to chase away the cold Lenneth felt inside her.

Nor could she entirely suppress the memories that wanted to come out, Lenneth haunted by her past encounters with Hel and her undead legions. As a Valkyrie, she had often done battled with representatives of Nifleheim, those despicable creatures waging war on Midgard, bringing ruin and torment to the mortals. On occasion, the souls Lenneth collected, had died through the manipulations of Hel's fiends, and there had even been circumstances where mortals had been corrupted by the queen's promises.

Those desire ridden humans had always caused the most damage before they died, and though Lenneth didn't often take pleasure in killing, she had felt a kind of ruthless satisfaction in dispatching those miscreants that had allied themselves with Niflehiem's Queen. Her animosity towards all things undead was manifesting in the desire to seek out the creatures of Lezard's world, to end their miserable lives, end the affront they offered her simply by existing.

An affront that extended to her husband, Lenneth wondering just what sort of person he was to dare dabble with these beings under any circumstance. Why did he pollute his world with them, why infect the land with these creatures when he could be creating a utopia instead? She wondered then what he really wanted, Lezard proving to be much of an enigma. To Lenneth, there seemed no rhyme or reason to his actions, the fledging God exerting power just for the pure show of it.

She was once again wondering how much more damage he would do before he was through, Lenneth recalling the bedraggled, battle worn states of the various Gods and Goddess at the wedding ceremony. They had all been subdued, and though they hadn't shown fear, they also hadn't voiced much if any resistance to what Lezard was doing. She wondered how brutal he had been with his power, and knew that it would grow, Lezard becoming more accustomed to it's usage as each day passed.

It was very worrisome to Lenneth that the Aesir hadn't been able to subdue Lezard in his infancy, if ever there was a time that a God should have fallen, it would have been during his emerging birth. But then, and she shuddered anew, Lenneth thinking of Odin now. Odin had been Lord Creator for a millennia, existing for far longer than any of the current Gods. He should have been infallible, and yet Lezard had found a way.

That way opened up a path to all of the new God's desires, and was the main reason Lenneth was here now. She quickly rinsed off, frown firmly in place as she swam to the pool's steps. A look she could admit was partly paranoid, was cast at the locked door, Lenneth making sure her ward was in place before climbing out of the pool. She quickly began to dry off, towels wrapped around her, one rubbing at her long hair.

She didn't relax with the towel firmly in place around her, Lenneth on constant guard. It was emotionally draining to be so vigilant, so expectant of attacks, no matter what form they might take. Even something as seemingly innocent as words could have an effect, Lenneth not liking that most of their fighting took place not with her fists but with her words. She felt inadequate when it came to arguing verbally, Lenneth much preferring to resolve her problems with use of her sword.

Lezard, even with his brief moment where he had turned uncertain, was almost always confidant when confronted with her words. It didn't take any stretch of the imagination for Lenneth to think he had an answer for almost everything! His easy and quick response to the things she confronted him with, set her off balance, Lenneth unsure of how to counter at times.

Especially when he talked about his expectations of their forced union, Lenneth feeling Lezard was delusional to even hope that the situation would mirror that of Lord Odin and Lady's Freya. She snorted as she began combing out her ankle length hair, working out the tangles the wind had blown into it.

Freya and Odin's situation was different, and not just from Lezard and Lenneth's. For their love had been lasting, existing for eons where other divine marriages had ended in divorce. Freya and Odin's love was grand, truly the stuff of legend. That Lezard could be so deluded into thinking she would come to feel even a smidgen of what Freya had felt for Odin was laughable in it's offense.

_~Besides...~_ Lenneth thought, as she worked in an almost brutal fashion on a tangle. _~I am no lady Freya.~_ And Lezard was no Lord Odin, no matter that he had stolen the God's power, the two men being world's apart in thought and deed.

She felt certain Lezard was only setting himself up for disappointment in pinning all his hopes, dreams and desires on Lenneth's shoulders. That disappointment would lead to an eternity of suffering between them, and that was provided she had an eternity to live through! Blood bonds aside, Lenneth was absolutely certain, even with Lezard attempting to reassure her, that he would tire of her resistance eventually. She knew mortals, knew of the tragedies that occurred when their lusts ran their course, and Lenneth was sure Lezard would take what he wanted from her. Only to discard her once the amusement was over with, Lenneth shuddering at the thought.

Dropping both comb and towel, she reached for the dress she had picked out. It wasn't exactly to her tastes, but then none of the dresses Lezard had laid out for her had appealed to Lenneth. There were all kinds, and each seemed to offend her in some way, either being too low in the cleavage area, or too tight and clingy. Frills existed on many of the dresses, extravagant frippery that made her feel like an overdecorated peacock.

She'd feel ridiculous in many of the gowns, either overdressed, or too much like a seductress. Even the one dress she had deigned to consider wearing, seemed somehow inappropriate, a thin layer of gray silk that molded to her curves, and stretched tight over her breasts. But at least it was long, flowing down to her ankles, even if there was a slit up to the right knee on one side.

Long sleeves covered her arms, the ends expanding to drape over her hands with the tiniest of pearls sewn into the cuffs. The cleavage was lower than she would have liked, offering up the creamy expanse of her skin from neck to the top globes of her breasts. She stifled a sigh, knowing she would endure this as she had endured all else in her marriage.

A quick tending to her hair, Lenneth braiding it back to both keep it out of her way, and to avoid further tangles. Once that was done, she had no more reason to delay, and yet Lenneth was hesitant to return to the chambers that doubled as both bedroom and living quarters for she and her husband. Part of it was she didn't want to see the pleasure light up in his eyes at the sight of her in this dress. A pleasure she felt he had no right to, one he took each and every time he gazed at her with that adoring look in his eyes.

Another had to do with the conversations they had, and even the lack of them at times. She didn't know what was worse, talking to Lezard, or the awful, awkward silences that followed. Either one annoyed her, Lenneth dropping the ward on the door, before pulling it open. A cautious step out into the corridor, Lenneth looking around, half expecting Lezard to appear.

He didn't, but Lenneth couldn't relax. She eyed the long stretch of corridor between bathroom and bedroom, noting the many doors that lined the hall. Curiosity began to get to her, Lenneth deciding to explore her new-temporary home. Her feet made not a sound as she moved, Lenneth forgetting to bring shoes with her in her haste to get away from Lezard.

The first door she opened revealed to her a library, the room crammed together with book case after book case. The shelves reached to the ceiling, and a ladder was in place, movable by the wheeled frame it rested upon. The room was large in size, and yet it felt cluttered by all the shelves and books, Lenneth doing a brief glance at some of the titles. It seemed Lezard had replicated every book that had ever been written in the nine realms, there was archaic tomes from Alfeim and Jotunheim, and even a few books bound in chains, and secured with a thick padlock. They radiated unholy energy, containing secrets from Nifleheim.

She quickly stepped out of the room, fighting not to slam the door shut behind her. Those books from Niflehiem disturbed her, and were just another reminder of Lezard's trafficking with things better left untouched.

She resumed her exploration of the rooms, finding a large kitchen and dining area, stocked with all manners of food. She wasn't hungry though, so she quickly left that room alone, Lenneth eventually finding what had to be Lezard's study, a desk in one corner, with an open diary of some sort on top of it's surface. She gave a glance to the diary, but it held none of his inner thoughts, Lezard using it more to record his findings on the experiments laid out in the room.

Lenneth gave a curious glance to some of the experiments, seeing beakers and vials of colorful potions, some fogged through, some frozen, and even one boiling continuously. The study had a side door that led into a laboratory like room, and there were things on slabs that had bled heavily. Shelves lines the wall, holding all manner of things, reminding Lenneth very much of an herbalist or alchemist's work.

There were other rooms, many of them half formed, as though he hadn't had time to decide what they would be. At the very end of the hall, furthest from the bed chamber, was a door. It was locked, but a subtle exertion of her strength broke the padlock, Lenneth not caring if she risked Lezard's anger for disturbing one of his secrets. She was simply too curious, perhaps too much for her own good, Lenneth feeling the power hit her as she pushed open the door.

It nearly staggered her, Lenneth blinking, feeling disoriented by the pulsating waves of energy. It didn't help matters that the room was dark, lit only by a subtle blue glow at the very end of it. She walked towards that glow, feeling her curiosity grow, Lenneth wondering just what mattered enough to Lezard that he would try to keep it from her.

The room seemed to stretch on for miles, but at least she reached the end of it. The glow didn't grow stronger, it was being muffled under a heavy, dark cloth. She reached for that cloth, Lenneth feeling thick velvet beneath her fingertips as she pulled. There was an initial resistance, the cloth clinging to what it covered, and then, with an insistent tug from Lenneth, it came free.

The heavy cloth rustled as it fell to the floor, the room flooding with light from the glow. She was left blinking owlishly, trying to adjust to the change in lighting. She could feel the power emanating before her, and Lenneth let out a gasp when her vision cleared. For it was a crystal, blue in color, and translucent as to allow her to see inside it. That which was encased inside it was responsible for the glow, the trapped Goddess lighting the room with her power.

Lenneth took a step back before she could stop herself, her hands flying to cover her mouth. The Goddess was seemingly asleep, frozen in place, a peaceful look on her face. Her hair was wavy and blonde, and she was dressed in armor, the metal indigo in color, with long white skirts with gold edgings peeking out from beneath it. Her eyes were closed, but Lenneth knew they would be a sky blue in color.

"Silmeria..." Lenneth breathed out her sister's name, horrified fascination on her face. The sleeping goddess did not open her eyes, continuing her unnatural slumber even when Lenneth touched the crystal, going so far as to pound her fists on it's front. It mattered not, the crystal held fast, Silmera undisturbed by Lenneth's attempts to awaken her.

She knew without speaking, what this was. Silmeria was trapped inside the remnants of the Sovereign's rite, that spell only the Creator had a right to perform. The spell, which had been Odin's exclusive right to use, was meant to call back a Valkyrie from duty, sending the battle maiden off to sleep inside a mortal host while another of the three sisters took over as active Valkyrie.

To see Silmeria like this meant only one thing, the Sovereign's Rite had been disrupted, Silmeria trapped between hosts. Lenneth didn't know if she should be shocked or relieved, and she felt her eyes wet with tears in response to seeing her sister like this. She was shaking again, Lenneth realizing she was in fact relieved, for this meant Silmeria still lived! Lezard hadn't killed or assimilated her like he had with Lord Odin, her sister was alive, and retrievable, even if Lenneth herself didn't know how to break the disrupted spell.

She quickly brushed at her eyes, wiping away the wetness before the tears could fall. She didn't understand why Silmeria was here, trapped like she was, but she was grateful her younger sister still existed. It was far better than Lenneth could have hoped for, the Goddess knowing she had been full of doubts about her sister's ultimate fate.

"Don't worry..." Lenneth whispered to the crystal. "I will find a way to restore you to your freedom." One last touch of the smooth front of the crystal, and then she was fleeing, running back to the room's sole door. She continued her flight once out in the corridor, running barefoot to the bedroom. Nothing happened when she burst into the room, Lenneth seeking out Lezard.

To her shock she found him leaned back in a chair, his eyes closed, his mouth open enough for a light snore. She couldn't believe he had fallen asleep while she was gone, a stray thought whispering to Lenneth that the new God must have been very tired indeed. She felt no sympathy for him, marching right over to him, and staring down at him a second.

And then, snatching a vase full of lilies, she tossed the flowers to the floor, and threw their water in his face. He couldn't drown, and that was not her purpose, Lenneth watching as he shot awake, sputtering indignantly. "Lenneth, what?"

"What are you doing with my sister?" demanded Lenneth, still holding on to the vase. She was very much tempted to bring it crashing down on top of his head, Lenneth glaring at him.

"Sister...?"

"Silmeria!" She clarified for him, then practically snarled. "I've seen her! And the prison you keep her in!" He had been in the mist of wiping the water from his glasses, when he glanced up at her alarmed. Lenneth felt twisted satisfaction in telling him the following. "Your lock couldn't keep me out." And perhaps if he hadn't been so deep in sleep, he would have realized sooner what she had been doing to break it.

Instead of reacting in anger, he seemed resigned, Lezard leaning back in his seat. "I didn't expect it would keep you out forever..."

"Oh?"

"Though I did want more time before you discovered the fate of your sister..." Lezard added.

"Why? Why do you keep her like that!" demanded Lenneth. "What purpose does it-she serve?"

"No purpose." Lezard replied. "At least, not any longer. She has played her role in all of this."

"Her role?" Lenneth inquired, but he would speak no more on it. "If her purpose is over and done with, then release her! Return my sister to me!"

"Would that I could." Lezard answered cryptically. "But there is a problem..."

"What problem?" Lenneth demanded.

"You are aware, as per Odin's decree, that only one Valkyrie can walk the realms at a time." Lezard's words had her stiffening in realization, Lenneth shaking her head no. "As you are the current inhabitant of the body you share with your sisters, Silmeria must sleep a little longer."

"Then return her to her human host." Lenneth ordered, annoyed when Lezard shook his head no. "Why not?"

"There's no easy way to tell you this...but..." A hesitation from Lezard, one that had Lenneth bristling with impatience. "Her human host has been destroyed." The vase fell from Lenneth's hands, the porcelain breaking into a dozen pieces on the floor. She stared shocked at him, taking a step back before she could regain her wits.

"Destroyed?"

"By Odin's hands no less." Lezard was quick to explain, reacting to the horrified look on her face. "There is much you do not know. Especially of Silmeria's rebellion, and Odin's vendetta against her and the humans she protected. Her host died shortly before my claim to power, murdered by Odin at the top of Yggsdrasil."

"Yggsdrasil?" Lenneth wondered why the human would even be at the summit of the sacred world tree, her thoughts a flurry with the hows and whys of all that had gone on during her absence. She remembered how Lezard had earlier made mention of Odin stealing the Dragon Orb, a thing she thought impossible. As impossible as the thought of Silmeria's host being destoyed, or the thought of a Valkyrie rebelling against her creator. "Tell me everything." She said at last, and Lezard could only nod in compliance.

To be Continued...

Michelle

Kaelin Voidshadow, Lezard would not be Ingway. My idea doesn't involve making them the characters of Odin Sphere, or crossing over with them or the universe. It simply has to do with what happens to Valkyries who are forced to retire from the battlefield. In fact that would be my summary blurb for it.

LordLezardValeth, heh yes! She holds all the power to hurt him! He's a..well maybe emotional basket case is not the words I want to use! But he's sensitive, at least where Lenneth is concerned! XD I know! Stupid Lucian, ruining Lezard's happy ending! At least he can go back in time, and woo this Lenneth...which would make the future never happen so Lucian ends up the loser! XD

You're right about needing people to cause trouble! XD See I used to write Lezard Lenneth fics all the time, I have a million of them not on this site. Most of the ones I put up here aren't the dark subject matter/ themes. A lot of the dark ones I'm afraid I don't know how to end without either killing Lezard off for his crimes, or leaving Lenneth miserable for all eternity at his side. Since my return to writing for the pairing, I've been fortunate to think up happier ideas. Though I still want to finish the dark fics too...

Anyway, one of the problems with a lot of my old unfinished fics is, Lezard and Lenneth were so isolated! I noticed the fics I finsihed or got very far in, they had other characters to interact with. Situations to deal with, that sort of thing. Also, I felt like LezaLenne kept having the same kind of convo in the isolated fics. -_-

I'm currently working on nine...I wanted to have it finished before I posted eight, but my friend kinda insisted I update the story. Still aiming to have the meeting with Freya hopefully for 10. And then you can see some more of what I planned. The real hard part is gonna be though the parts showing Lenneth's relationship with Lezard, if it improves or not. I've got the plot points figured out, but the lovey dovey stuff is...well tripping me up. And hard to talk about without spoiling the whole meeting with Freya! *face palm.* So I'll shut up now, and say thank you!

Alpha Huntress, thanks! Glad you liked how I described the whole Lucian debacle. And you were right, he was hiding something-Silemeria! And yeah...the road will be qutie twisty to getting them to consumate...I'm freaking out over trying to show Lenneth softening through her dealings with him. X_X


	9. Chapter 9

He had his Goddess' undivided attention, Lenneth's unwavering gaze on his face as she waited near breathless for him to speak. He didn't rush the story, leaning back in his chair as he slowly removed his glasses. They, like much of his face, was soaked. A condition to be blamed on Lenneth, the Goddess dousing him with water. It had been an unpleasant way to awaken, unexpected and jarring.

It wasn't the only unexpected thing, Lezard not thinking Lenneth would go so far as to force her way into the one room he kept locked from her. He was more put out than angry about her intrusion into the room that housed her sister, Lezard knowing that sooner or later he would have had to reveal just what had happened to Silmeria. Especially if he wanted his relationship with Lenneth to progress, something that would have been impossible if she continued to believe he had killed her younger sister.

Lenneth seemed to vibrate with impatience, watching as he took out a handkerchief, and began to dry off his glasses. He used that all too brief reprieve to gather his thoughts, Lezard trying to decide just when and where for the story to begin. Of course there was some things he couldn't tell her, Lezard being careful to leave off any mention of time travel. He might never enlighten her on that aspect of his nature, Lezard sure Lenneth would look down on him for trying to alter her future.

Glasses dried, he used the handkerchief to wipe the moisture off his face, before setting the spectacles in place. "The telling may take some time." He said at last, Lezard gesturing for Lenneth to take the chair besides his. She looked ready to protest, but at the last second sat. But she didn't relax in her seat, leaning forward, eyes intent on his face.

"I can't claim to have all the answers either." Lezard warned her, holding up a hand to ward off her protests. "Some things are beyond my knowledge. I can only tell you what I bore personal witness to."

"And just what did you witness then?" Lenneth asked, and a faint glimmer of a smile crossed his face.

"The struggles of Silmeria, the rebellion she tried to form, and the downfall of a great Kingdom." A frown was on Lenneth's face. "The story begins just over eighteen years ago..." He paused, then shook his head. "I suppose it started even later than that...but I suspect only Odin, Silmeria, and perhaps the vampire Lord Brahms would know about that."

"What does the undead King have to do with my sister?" Lenneth demanded.

Lezard gave her words their due consideration, trying to piece together what he knew. "Silmeria saw fit to...shield Brahms from Odin." Lenneth's eyes went wide, she made a protesting noise at that.

"Why would she do such a thing?" Lenneth wanted to know, and Lezard gave a shrug.

"Her motivation is her own, a mysterious secret she kept from many. I do not know why she sought to help him when he was injured, but she did. That alone should have been enough to earn her Odin's animosity." Lezard did not know much about Silmeria and Brahms' dealings, her reasons for helping the vampire unknown. It had not been something Silmeria had been forthcoming about, the young Valkyrie going so far as to never mention the undead king to any of her small band of followers. Lezard wondered if even Alicia, her human host had known.

"I suppose Silmeria could have earned her Lord's forgiveness if she had handed Brahms over." Continued Lezard out loud. "But something about her encounter with the undead King changed her...enough for her to want to question Odin's rule, and the callous way the divine acted towards the mortals of Midgard."

Lenneth looked shocked at that, she didn't even think to protest what he had said about the Gods being callous towards the humans.

"You can understand, can't you?" Lezard asked her. "Why Odin would not be quick to reveal what had dissatisfied Silmeria so? For if she, one of his most loyal of creations found a reason to find disfavor with his rule, would others follow if they learned what Silmeria had learnt?"

"I cannot believe this..." Lenneth said in response. "Silmeria was surely tainted by her encounter with Brahms! That undead fiend corrupted her!"

"Maybe, maybe not." Lezard replied. "Whatever the case, Odin knew he had to act. Silmeria's disobedience could not go unpunished. If she would no longer obey his command, then he had no use for her. As Valkyrie she had to be replaced, a more suitable Goddess being called forth."

"Hrist." Lenneth named the eldest of the three Valkyrie Goddesses. "He called Hrist."

"The sovereign's rite was performed, and Silmeria was forced into her human host, to sleep...perhaps for forever." Lezard knew the chances of Odin awakening the disobedient Valkyrie was slim, especially when he had one as loyal as Hrist. The eldest Valkyrie sister was his most fanatical follower, the Goddess willing to go to extremes that her younger sisters were not.

"But something went wrong, didn't it?" Lenneth asked, and Lezard nodded slowly.

"The ritual of the Sovereign's rite, something disrupted it." Lezard had his suspicions on that, wondering if the added presence of Brahms had been what had allowed Silmeria to remain conscious. "Silmeria was cast aside, but she did not sleep. She awoke, aware of everything, inside the body of her human host." He paused, letting that tidbit gestate between them. "I'm sure it had to be difficult for her. Trapped in a baby's body..."

Lenneth looked horrified at that. "She was conscious as a mortal?"

"Yes. I don't know how she survived those early years. It had to be dreadfully boring...even if her host had been mortal royalty. I'm sure you've heard of the kingdom of Dipan. It's thrived for decades...and Silmeria's host was the princess of that kingdom." Lenneth hardly look mollified by the thought of the pampering Silmeria might have received in that case.

"There was complications, there always is when magic goes awry." Lezard sighed, knowing only too well the folly of failed spells. "Silmeria began to speak to the young princess. It seemed harmless at first, the humans willing to write it off as a child's imaginings. But all too soon, they realized the child had to be cursed, possessed by a spirit."

Lenneth took offense at that. "They should have been honored to house a Valkyrie, even one who had fallen out of favor as my sister did!"

"Dipan did not see it as a blessing...they sent the young princess away, and declared her dead to the population. Silmeria was not idle during that time, preparing the princess in the way of the sword. And do you know why she did this?" Lenneth shook her head no. "She knew Odin would discover the error he had made. And when that happened, Odin would send assassins after them."

"It took eighteen years, which I'm sure is a blink of the eye to ones who have eternity to spend." Lezard continued. "But sure enough, he realized what had happened, and Odin immediately took measures to correct that error. Hrist was dispatched."

"Hrist?" Lenneth shook her head. "But she wouldn't dare harm one of her own sisters!"

"Not even for their own good?" Lezard questioned her. She hesitated. "I'm sure Odin told her his own version of what happened." He tried to be soothing for Lenneth's sake. "Hrist probably believed she was to save her sister in the act of killing her human host..."

"And did she kill her?" Lenneth wondered, her relief showing at Lezard's head shake. "Then how?"

"It's not a story to be rushed." Lezard told her, smirking at her impatience. "Hrist tried several times, and failed each and every time to harm Silmeria's human host." He paused a moment, trying to settle his thoughts. "By the time I first encountered Silmeria, she had added several companions to her struggles."

"You MET my sister during this time?" Lenneth interrupted, furrowed brow complementing the troubled look in her eyes.

"Oh yes." Lezard answered breezily. "I was a long term companion to her party. Along with Rufus a half elf, and Dylan an einherjar she had manifested from within her." The memories were coming, though it wasn't fondness that colored his experiences with Silmeria's party. He had gotten along just fine with the group, but Lezard had always been aware he hadn't belong. Nor had he been interested in forming attachments to those who would be soon dead.

Of course he himself hadn't been responsible for those deaths. No, their fates had been set in stone long before he had come along, Lezard merely helping them along to survive long enough to get into position. Each had had a purpose to serve, each one bringing him that much closer to becoming a God.

Lenneth knew what Rufus' half elf heritage signified, the Goddess breathing out a word almost reverently. "A vessel of the Gods..."

"He was meant to be Odin's." Lezard explained. "To be his spare body in case something should happen." He almost laughed then, thinking how Odin's vessel had been instrumental in his demise. "Of course Rufus was trying to hide his half elf heritage when I first met him in Dipan."

"Dipan?"

"That kingdom was a background setting to much of what happened." Lezard explained. "I was part of the castle's court, an apprentice under the three mages." That had been his cover, Lezard arriving several months before Silmeria would come to the castle. He had spent weeks ingratiating himself to the court, and the mages, sucking up to them and down playing his powers. If the mages had suspected how powerful he really was, they would have taken steps to prevent him from securing a place at the court. It had been a tricky balance to maintain, Lezard needing to feign enough magic to be deemed competent to learn at their feet.

It had been worse than his years at Flenceburg's magic academy, the three mages even more strict than Lorenta. He had to toil with beginner's spells, pretending not to know how to mix the most basic of potions to keep them from suspecting his true intellect and power. He had nearly keeled over in boredom by the time Silmeria and her companions had arrived.

"You are from Dipan?" Lenneth asked, drawing him out of his memories.

"Oh no, I come from much farther than that." But that was all he would say about that. "I was only a recent arrival to the court myself...Silmeria came to the castle with a mission." Lezard watched Lenneth carefully, and her reaction did not disappoint. "She wanted to rally Dipan to prepare to fight against the Gods."

"Just how far gone was my sister to even contemplate such a thing?" Lenneth exclaimed, aghast.

"She was desperate." Lezard answered. "And Barbarossa was hardly willing to listen. Not even to his own daughter. He ordered them to be arrested, and I dare say Silmeria would have rotted in the dungeons until Hrist or some other God put her out of her misery. If not for the interference I offered." He smiled widely, proud of himself. "I used my magic to teleport us away...and thus the true journey began."

He had gotten straight to the point when speaking to Silmeria, explaining to her of Dipan's plans, watching as the Valkyrie took the bait. "Dipan had been planning to meddle with the very laws of time, all to create an enclosed world that would give them independence from the Gods." Lenneth let out a gasp at that, seeming as shocked as she was outraged by the very notion.

"To do that..." continued Lezard smoothly. "They would need the power of one of the four divine treasures. Naturally they had only one choice...I'm sure you can surmise which one they would go after."

"The Dragon Orb."

"Yes. Silmeria intended to go after it too. And to make her human host it's guardian. If anything, it made Odin even more determined to fell Silmeria, since he too had designs on the Orb. Attacks would come in many ways, the most insidious perhaps in the guise of a woman named Leone. She turned out to be your sister Hrist in disguise, the Goddess abandoning her role of assassin to play spy and eventual betrayer..."

"This is not the first time you've made mention that Odin had interest in the Orb." Noted Lenneth.

"No...he has coveted it for a long time, and it was not just the mortals that the orb's previous protectors hid it from. They wanted to keep it from those who would misuse it, and the Gods who would cast Midgard into ruin through it's theft. Unfortunately for Midgard, Hrist played the part of saboteur all too well, retrieving the orb for Odin's collection."

Lenneth didn't look like she believed him, leaving Lezard to wonder if he would have to personally take her to Odin's treasure vault and show her the orb. "Of course Silmeria's story didn't end there...there was a great show down at Dipan between the two sisters." That had been vital to his plans, Lezard having endured so much for the moment when the three mages of Dipan sprung their trap.

"But before that, Hrist and her einherjar ran rampant in Dipan, destroying the city, and executing many of it's leaders. We arrived too late to stop them...Dipan, for all it's preparations had not been able to stand up to the wrath of the Gods. However...the three mages had managed to work out the Sovereign's rite...and it was during Hrist and Silmeria's fight that they cast it."

Lezard knew, thanks to the knowledge of the Philosopher's Stone, that the spell would have been interrupted by the arrival of Freya. The Goddess would appear just seconds after Dylan was destroyed, his body melting away to reveal the undead King, Brahms having hidden inside the mortal. The vampire Lord had been trying to save Silmeria from the Sovereign's rite when Freya went on the offensive.

Silmeria should have been frozen by Freya's ether, helpless to do anything. Brahms should have then carried her off to safety, leaving Rufus and Alicia alone in Dipan. But that was without Lezard's interference, the mage casting a spell to steal Silmeria's soul for his own. Instead of Silmeria being frozen in crystal, Brahms had been trapped, the vampire carted off by Freya.

Rufus and Alicia had still ended up alone, Lezard leaving with his prize. But that hadn't been the end, the two so foolish as to decide to challenge Odin by themselves. They would pay for the price of their folly at the top of Yggsdrasil.

"It should have been impossible for anyone but Lord Odin to cast that spell." Lenneth was visibly disturbed.

"Nothing is impossible...nothing Lenneth." Lezard retorted. "My victory over Odin is proof of that." An annoyed look was his reward for that comment, Lezard sighing. "Silmeria's soul was not returned to the heavens...I used some of my own magic to secure her for my own purposes."

"You?" She sneered then. "You used Silmeria to help you kill Odin, didn't you?"

"She gave me an added boost to my powers, yes." Lezard acknowledged. "As for her host and the half elf, the fools were determined to fight Odin, to reclaim the Dragon Orb for Midgard's sake. It was precisely why they traveled to the top of Yggsdrasil, their intent to make Rufus a God that could rival Odin. Unfortunately for them, Odin was not on board with this idea. Nor did he show any mercy to Silmeria's human host."

The pair had already been dying when Lezard made his appearance, and even if healing magic had been among his repertoire of spells, he wouldn't have been able to save them. All he could do was use the power and knowledge that he did have, to shift Odin's soul into Rufus' dying body. "Soul transfusion." Lezard mused out loud. "What had once been a convenience of Odin, was now the end of him. He didn't last long in the half elf's body...a victim of internal injuries."

Lenneth had stood up, looking horrified. "You cast him into a mortal's body?" She sneered then. "That is low..."

"But practical." Lezard replied. "Odin engineered his own downfall in keeping that vessel alive. I merely took the opportunity it presented me." He tried not to smirk then. "The Gods were due for a shake up at any rate. Things had gone stale under Odin's rule. Predictable even."

"That doesn't give you the right..." Lenneth began, and Lezard interrupted.

"It's the survival of the fittest Lenneth." Lezard said. "Those who can, do, and those who can't, die. It's no different for the Gods." She didn't like hearing that, he could read that dislike on her face. "Odin wouldn't have ruled forever..." He knew that from his own time, Odin dying at Loki's hands during Ragnarok. Lezard had just expedited Odin's demise, causing little suffering to the rest of the realms.

"That shouldn't have been up to you to decide!" Lenneth snapped.

"Oh? Then who?" Lezard demanded. "One of the other divine? Surt maybe?" He laughed then. "The Gods needed new blood. At the very least, they needed someone to keep them on their toes. They had grown stagnant in their compliance, just waiting around for Ragnarok to happen."

"You know nothing." Lenneth hissed. "What can a mortal understand of the Gods' affairs?"

"More than you think." Lezard retorted. "I'm sorry you don't like what I have done, and what I have told you. But I can't help but wonder, just who you would sympathize with if you knew the reasons behind Silmeria's actions."

"Silmeria was poisoned by her interaction with Brahms." Lenneth was haughty then. "I doubt very much my sister could sway me to understand her reasoning for this rebellion of hers!"

"Perhaps someday you will find out how wrong you are about that." Lezard said.

"What do you mean?" Lenneth demanded, suspicion in her eyes. He merely shook his head, mind mulling over the problem of what to do with Silmeria's soul. She had no human host to return to, and he wouldn't allow her to take over Lenneth's body. It was a puzzle to ponder, but one he was sure he'd figure out the answer to, if given enough time. He just hoped the answer would be the right one for all involved!

To Be Continued of course!

I wasn't gonna post so soon, but figure this one might be boring since it's going over what happened in the game. So hence you get two chapters tonight, to make up for this!

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, glad Silmeria's appearance made you so happy! She'll have much more of a presence later on too, but that's a potential spoiler to say any more! XD


	10. Chapter 10

It had been a lot of shocking information to take in, Lenneth's mind still reeling over the thought of Silmeria's rebellion, even a day later. She found it difficult not to think about her younger sister, and the choices she had made, Lenneth wondering what experiences had shaped Silmeria into the woman she had become. The Silmeria Lezard had talked of, was a veritable stranger to her, so alien in her choices and actions.

Not that Lenneth had any personal experience with her sisters. The very nature of their shared existence had kept her from ever meeting them. Two of the three Valkyries were always forced to sleep, their souls guarded inside their human host's body. All because of a decree of their creator, Lord Odin demanding that only one Valkyrie walk the realms at a time.

She might not have ever personally met them, but Lenneth had heard the stories. Many tales had been regaled to her, of her sisters' loyalty, their heroic accomplishments, their steadfast devotion to their duties. As the youngest, Silmeria was perhaps the most caring of the three Valkryies. She was kind but firm, and could almost be said to be nurturing, at least towards the mortal souls she collected as her einherjar. She was known to inspire loyalty in those who chose to stand with her, many going gladly to Asgard on her wings.

The eldest, Hrist was known to be a severe personality, mistaken by many to be heartless. They didn't understand her coldness, didn't appreciate the ruthless way she saw about her duties. It was for this very merciless nature, that Odin had made the eldest Goddess his executioner.

Hrist was always the one to be called upon should divine judgment be given down to the mortals. Many a kingdom had been laid to waste at the hands of Hrist and her einherjar, and Odin wasn't above using the Goddess as his divine assassin. It was no wonder that many feared her, even among the gods. No one wanted Hrist to darken their doorway, the Goddess not known for social visits. No, if she appeared before you, there was a very good chance she had been sent on Odin's business.

Lenneth knew that Hrist had been the active Valkyrie during the events leading up to Odin's murder. What she hadn't known was that Hrist had been temporarily displaced, paving the way for Lenneth's unscheduled awakening. At the time, disoriented and groggy from sleep, Lenneth has assumed Hrist had been cast back as per Lezard's demands. Lenneth had had no way of knowing Hrist was had yet to recover from the events at Dipan, her soul nearly lost as a result of an inexpert casting of the sovereign's rite.

If anything, it should be Hrist's time as acting Valkyrie, especially with Odin's slayer on the loose. The Goddess should have been actively trying to seek retribution on Lezard, even if such an act wasn't currently possible. It might never be, for what hope could a single Valkyrie have where a multitude of Gods and Goddesses had failed? Not even Freya had managed to stand up to Lezard's newly acquired power.

No wonder they had been quick to hand Lenneth over, all in an attempt to appease their new master. The Gods were ever self serving, Lenneth could admit that much. They would gladly sacrifice one to save the rest of their immortal souls. It was just Lenneth's unfortunate luck, that the burden of sacrifice had fallen on her shoulders. Even if Lezard hadn't been making demands for a Valkyire bride, the Gods would have been limited in their choice of who to send. Especially with one Valkyrie's soul recovering, the other thought to be dead.

And with that line of thought, Lenneth immediately thought of Silmeria again. She had seen the great statues built in honor of her and her sisters, and thus been able to recognize Silmeria instantaneously. The statues had not done the blonde beauty justice, the stone paling in comparison to the actual Goddess. Even trapped in crystal, she was not dulled, no sign of the hard battles of the last few months showing on her face.

She certainly hadn't looked like a Goddess corrupted by the filth of the undead, and a part of Lenneth couldn't help but wonder if what Lezard had told her had been untrue. It all seemed so unbelievable, why would a Goddess, especially one created to be loyal to Odin, turn traitor. And for an undead of all creations? It was preposterous! And yet some grain of truth had to be there in the story Lezard had told her, if only for the fact the fledgling God had Silmeria in his custody.

What Lenneth really needed was a reliable source to question, someone who could give her answers she could trust. Once that would have been Odin, Lenneth having unwavering faith in everything her Lord Creator told her. Never, ever would she have thought to question him. She was too much like Hrist in that regard, unable to fathom the doubts Silmeria must have gone through when she chose to rebel against their Creator.

She found herself wishing she could talk with her sister, even if Silmeria truly was tainted now. Perhaps then she could at least accept what had happened to her sister, even if Lenneth would never understand her reasoning for betraying Odin. And with that wish, came another hope, the desire Lenneth had to somehow save her sister. To heal her of the infection the vampire king had placed within her, earning back a loyal soldier of the Gods.

But that was an impossible wish, the three sisters could never actually meet. If what Lezard had said about Silmeria being conscious in a human host was true, then that had been the ultimate fluke, pitting her sisters against one another. Lenneth knew she would never get to enjoy the simple pleasures other siblings took for granted, the joy of hearing her sister's voice, of seeing her smile. Never to be embraced by her family, never to share thoughts, concerns, and hopes with them.

It was pointless to be bothered by that which she could not change. To actually meet with one of her sisters would go against Odin's decree, Lenneth sure that the God had had a reason for placing such a limit on the three Valkyrie sisters. It would not due to start questioning the whys of such a command, especially now with Odin dead, the God unable to explain away his reasons.

And still she sighed, Lenneth holding a vacant stare as she gazed off into the distance. An open book was on her lap, but it had never held her attention. Not when her husband had given her so much to think about. The words printed on the book's pages couldn't compare to that which Lezard had told her, and she had gone over it numerous times in her head. To the point she completely ignored Lezard, the God seeming put out by her lack of interest in maintaining a conversation with him.

Lenneth supposed he thought she was sulking, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. She was just overwhelmed, a gambit of emotions having run their course after Lezard finished his tale. It left her emotionally weary, and in no mood to continue to verbally spar with her husband.

He had tried to lure her into conversations, but eventually he realized he had no bait attractive enough for Lenneth. It was then that he had flounced off in a huff, something very much like a scowl on his face. That had been hours ago, and Lenneth was surprised but grateful he had left her alone for all this time. Even if she had nothing to do but think, her thoughts running an endless circle.

Of course Lenneth had tried to distract herself from this, once again exploring the level of their living quarters. She had even spent a few hours just gazing on her sister, Silmeria never so much as opening her eyes in response to Lenneth's pleas. The free time left Lenneth unsettled, restless. She was used to being active, to always performing some duty of Odin's. Free time was a difficult concept to the Goddess, Lenneth never having much chance for small pleasures.

A battle maiden's life was a busy burden, there was always a war to watch over, souls to collect, einherjar to train. Or undead to kill. Lenneth wasn't sure she even liked having a moment to relax, and with a start she realized she was actually wishing for Lezard to return. She didn't expect him to entertain her, but felt he would give her a purpose through their arguments. It was after all a battle of a different kind, words their weapons instead of swords.

Glancing down at the unread book, Lenneth frowned. She shouldn't be so aware of how the seconds seemed to linger, time ticking far too slow for her liking. But she did, Lenneth wondering just when Lezard intended to return to her.

Another hour would pass, Lenneth just about gearing up to go explore the experiments in Lezard's laboratory, when her husband appeared. The air seemed to shimmer before her, and then catch with the fire of gold sparks. Lezard stepped through those sparkles, hair and clothing looking a little disheveled. Lenneth immediately wondered what he had been up to, the Goddess used to him keeping a somewhat immaculate appearance.

He almost looked as though he had been fighting, and she wondered who or what would dare. But she wouldn't voice such a concern, not wanting him to think she cared. Better to suffer the pangs of curiosity, than allow him to think she had been worried about him and his prolong absence.

"Lenneth." His voice did not betray him, he wasn't even winded from what ever had happened. His amethyst colored eyes touched upon her, Lezard going so far as to sweep his gaze over her in an appraising fashion. She nearly flushed at that, the action raising Lenneth's hackles. But before she could do more than let out a displeased hiss he was continuing. "I have a surprise for you."

Lenneth did a slow blinking of her eyes, more cautious than intrigued. "What now?" She asked at last, but Lezard didn't seem put off by her wariness.

"You'll just have to wait and see." He smiled, his gloved hands reaching for hers. The book fell from her lap, Lenneth rising from her seat at Lezard's urgings. He immediately guided her towards him, his smile never fading. But it was hard to read the look in her husband's eyes, it wasn't true pleasure that she saw coloring the purple. He wasn't as excited as he pretended to be about this surprise, Lenneth was certain of that.

"You have been gone a very long time." Lenneth pointed out as he wound an arm around her waist. A brief flicker of emotion flashed in his eyes. It was gone before she could identify it properly.

"You noticed." His voice sounded pleased, Lenneth realizing her observation had fed into some part of his ego. She frowned, but didn't know how to disabuse him of whatever notion the observation had given him. Lenneth did not want Lezard to assume she had missed him!

"Did it take very long to...prepare this surprise?" continued Lenneth, wondering if it was something he had used his new powers to make for her.

"The arrangements took some time yes." Lezard agreed, taking advantage of her nearness to press up against her front. Her lips thinned out, Lenneth prepared to protest this. But Lezard was already casting ether about, taking them into the teleportation. His words followed them as reality shimmered around them, echoing from a distance. "And she was most reticent in agreeing to come here."

"SHE?" Lenneth seized upon that word, a quizzical look in her eyes as they came out of the teleportation. She didn't recognize this room he had brought her too, but it stank with ether. The air was nearly choking with it, strongly hinting that this place had been recently created. Lenneth wanted to study her surroundings, but a female voice was calling out to her.

"Lenneth!"

She recognized the voice, Lenneth gasping and pulling away from Lezard. Her husband did not try to hang on to her, his smile dimming somewhat as Lenneth whirled around. The Goddess Freya was rushing towards her, clad in a super short tunic of form fitting emerald. Her golden hair swished behind her, the Goddess floating to a stop several feet away, face cautious. Lenneth realized she was wary of coming any closer so long as Lezard was present.

He seemed to realize that, a rustle of movement from behind Lenneth. She glanced at him, Lezard giving a mocking half bow. "I shall leave you two ladies alone." His gaze swept over Freya, his voice issuing out a warning. "Behave yourself, Goddess."

"Hmph!" Freya sniffed, haughty and crossing her arms over her chest. The air around Lezard shimmered, the God fading from the room. Lenneth immediately turned back to the goddess, sure her face couldn't be more surprised. "Such a boorish man." Grumbled Freya, a hand moving to sweep back her hair over her right shoulder. "You would not believe what he had the nerve to do!"

Lenneth was looking Freya over, checking for signs of abuse. She would be startled to realize Freya was doing the same to her, concern in the goddess' eyes. "What did he do?" Lenneth asked, when she realized Freya has paused in expectation.

"He manhandled me to this world of his, and actually dared to blindfold me before bringing me to this room!" Freya scowled, supremely angry over this. Lenneth now knew just who Lezard had been fighting with as he prepared this surprise of his.

"I...forgive him." Lenneth said, duty making her apologize for her husband's actions. Freya snorted in response, and turned away, eying the room. It was a small chamber, two overstuffed chairs situated next to a small table. That table had a round circle for a top, and a pitcher of some steaming liquid sat upon it's surface. Two tea cups, and a plate of biscuits were laid out besides it, the treats untouched.

Freya didn't move to take a seat, instead floating to the nearest wall. She examined it, and it wasn't until the Goddess began to float about the room, that Lenneth realized there was no doors here. Windowless as well, they were enclosed, but Lenneth didn't feel claustrophobic. Not until Freya snorted again. "He's put a ward on the room."

"A ward?"

"To prevent us from teleporting." Freya explained. She sneered then. "As if I would want to explore his disgusting new world." But her hands were glowing with gold energy, ether sparkling as she began to weave a spell of her own. Lenneth watched quietly, waiting to see what Freya was attempting to do. The ether expanded, the glow lighting up the already bright room until no corner was untouched by it.

It was only then that Freya nodded in satisfaction. "This buys us some time." She said. "I'm sure he will be quick to notice the seal I have put up. But it will take time for him to unravel it."

Lenneth didn't ask why Freya was so intent on maintaining privacy for their conversation, stepping closer to the Goddess. She had many questions, and hoped that Freya, someone who Lenneth trusted almost as much as she had Odin, would have the answers. "Lady Freya, my sister Silmeria...what can you tell me about her travels in these recent months. Is it true she tried to lead a rebellion against Lord Odin?"

"Silmeria..." Freya's face was impassive, the Goddess not so much as startled by Lenneth's questions. "Hmph. I see he wasted no time in telling you about her."

"Then it's true?" Lenneth asked, Freya's face continuing to remain blank of emotion.

"Lenneth, now is not the time for this subject."

"We will make time." Lenneth insisted, voice firm. Freya was just as stubborn, shaking her head no.

"Our time is limited. That HUMAN will come soon. And I have much to tell you, much to impart of your true mission while my barrier is in place."

"My true mission?" Lenneth allowed that to distract her from talk of Silmeria, Freya nodding. "I was not aware I had a mission, save to play house wife to this fledgling interloper."

"You're talents would be wasted if that is all we asked of you." Freya retorted. "No Lenneth, there is greater purpose to your being here."

"Then please. Illuminate me."

Freya floated closer to Lenneth, her voice lowering as though she did not trust the barrier she had put into place. The barrier meant to keep Lezard out, and prevent him for eavesdropping on their conversation. "I know there is much you do not know. There was little time to properly brief you, and in truth, we wanted you innocent of our plans. At least initially, so as to lull the fiend's suspicions where you were concerned."

"Suspicions?"

"You couldn't appear eager to go with him, we as much as he, needed your fight. You had to act accordingly to his expectations, else he would never lower his guard, even just a little." Freya sighed then. "I'm sure you've had some time to observe him...his powers are as wild and unpredictable as they are strong."

"And growing stronger by the day." Lenneth pointed out.

"Yes...for once we divine do not have the luxury of time. We need to find a way to weaken him..."

"You mean to dispose of him?" Lenneth asked, and Freya nodded. "But...how?"

"This is where you come in Lenneth. As his wife, you are in position to study him. Have you not noticed anything about him that might give us the advantage in battle?"

"None that I can see." Lenneth admitted, earning a frown from Freya. "We have not been fighting in the typical manner, save to use words to hurt one another."

"That is unfortunate." Freya tsked.

"Is that my mission? To discover his weakness?" Lenneth asked.

"It's a small part of it. Partly we intend to use you as a distraction while we gather our power." Lenneth was hardly pleased to hear she was delegated as distraction, frowning at Freya. "But there's more...the divine treasure Gungnir is missing."

"Missing?" She gasped.

"Lezard took it when he made off with Odin's body." Freya scowled then, hands clenching into fists. But her expression although furious held the memory of the helplessness Freya had surely felt during that time. "We need you to get it back."

"I was not even aware Lezard had it." Some of Freya's rage deflated, the goddess looking disappointed.

"You've not seen it?"

"No." Lenneth shook her head. "The only thing of any importance that I've discovered, is my sister's soul."

"Silmeria still exists?" Freya was amazed, but recovered quickly. "It is good that she did not suffer the same fate as Odin, but ultimately we can do nothing for her. Our concern is disposing of Lezard. We have a limited time frame to do this in. As inheritor of Lord Odin's power, he will become near unstoppable. We have to be ready to strike him down and soon."

Freya began to pace, which was odd to watch considering she hovered several inches off the floor. "Asgard is maintaining equilibrium, but just barely. We need Gungnir returned to the shining realm. Before it falls, and before Surt and his crowd discovers the Aesir are without a King."

"Surt..." Lenneth had not even considered the Vanir King, and what the dwellers of Jotunheim would do if they learned Asgard was without a ruler and the divine treasure. They would most likely move to invade the Shining realm, to overthrow the Aesir, kill them if possible. Freya was born of the Vanir, but such had been her devotion to Odin, she had become Aesir in every way that counted. It led the goddess to want to protect the realm, protect Odin's kingdom and his people from all interlopers.

"What would you have me do?" Lenneth asked. The hesitation from Freya let her know she would not like what the Goddess had to say.

"Seduce him." It was a blunt response, one that had Lenneth reeling in shock. "I know it will be a distasteful thing for you to do...but it is necessary evil."

"Why that?" Lenneth demanded, hands on her hips.

"Surely you've noticed. He's besotted with you." Freya retorted. "How much more will he become if you were to become amicable to his desires? You'll lead him to distraction, he'll make mistakes. Gungnir may become revealed to us."

"That's a very big maybe you're hoping for!" Lenneth exclaimed angrily. "And I hardly think he is the type to let a little false affection lead to his downfall."

"Then you haven't been paying much attention to him." Freya replied, tone calm. "He's done this all for you. Overturned our leader, usurped his throne and power, all to get to you. That gives you power over him. You just need to use it."

"But...but to sleep with him?" Lenneth protested, aghast. "Even if I could do such a thing...how would I go about it? I have no experience as a seductress."

"Some men find innocence all the more charming." Freya smiled humorlessly. "Lezard may be the same." Lenneth sighed then, thinking this was the worse thing she had even been asked to do as Valkyrie. "I have some...advice for you. He will suspect if you immediately change your behavior around him. You cannot hit him with the full effects of your charms at once."

"I have no charms." Grumbled Lenneth, truly regretted being born female in this moment.

Freya did not so much as blink, continuing. "You'll have to adjust your behavior slowly, appear to be succumbing to your close proximity to him. I know you are no great liar Lenneth, but so much rides on your shoulders to be convincing. You must appear as though you are falling in love with him."

"Easier said then done." Lenneth's mood had soured completely. "So in addition to searching for Gungnir and his weaknesses, I must put on the act of my life. Anything else?" Freya shook her head no, and Lenneth was almost relived. Almost until she remembered the insurmountable tasks laid out before her. Another sigh escaped her, Lenneth grim. She knew she had little choice but to accept this mission, the Aesir depending on her to succeed. But she didn't have to like it.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, oh my! That gives me something to consider, though truthfully I have no plans for their to be a Brahms Silmeria romance. This is a Lezard Lenneth romance after all! Please don't cry though, you'll make me feel guilty!

God Emperor Nex, why thank you. I hope he doesn't snap either. There is a snapping plan because of a situation that develops, but that is MUCH, much later in the story. Like close to the end. But Lezard will have a right to snap because of it! *avoids saying anything more*

Kaelin Voidshadow, what? No! Not harem for Lezard! XD He's devoted to Lenneth alone!

Lord Lezard Valeth, thank you! I posted both chapters just cause I thought ya'll might be bored hearing the recap of the game events. Even if it was told from Lezard's pov. I debated just skipping it, to Lenneth being shocked over what he told her off screen...but ultimately, I have at least one friend who doesn't know anything about Valkyrie Profile reading this story. So I decided that for those who are not familair, it would be good to have the sumarry included. It tried to not make it too boring for those who are familair though!


	11. Chapter 11

To Lenneth, it seemed her existence these past few days had been nothing more than reacting to one unpleasant revelation after another. Starting from the very moment she had been awakened, the Goddess learning of Odin's death, and the fact that she was to be married to the very one who had killed him. Other unpleasantness would soon follow, new revelations that included that of her true mission. And although it might not be as soul shattering awful as her creator's murder, it was still distressing.

It left her pacing, her movements agitated under the Goddess Freya's scrutiny. Lenneth could barely stand to look Freya's way, her skin all but crawling with unease at the orders the Goddess had given her. She had been told to seduce a man, to play the flirt to the very murderer she had been forced into marriage with. It was a distasteful command, the likes of which she had never before been expected to do. Never had any Valkyrie been sent to do such a thing, the battle maidens virginal in body, mind and soul. Love and the lusts of the bodies, were something none of them should know. Certainly not on the level Freya was demanding of her!

Lenneth knew OF love, but not what it was to feel love. Nor had she ever experienced desire and it's many lusts. The closest to an experience with love and lust, was the tainted memories of the humans she had collected as einherjar. Because of the stories of their deaths, the pasts leading up the moment they were killed. It was no exaggeration to say Lenneth had only seen the dark side of desire, people driven by their need to possess another, to the point they plotted and executed plans to capture the unattainable. The humans she had had encounters with, had even gone so far as to kill, either the object of their lust, or those that stood in their way.

It was the same with Lezard, Lenneth thought. She might not understand what she thought of as love, but she knew enough of obsession to know it had driven this once mortal to become a God. He and Freya both claimed that Lezard loved her. And both had expectations of Lenneth, though each expected vastly different outcomes from her surrender.

Just the thought of surrendering to Lezard in that manner made her shudder, Lenneth stepping quicker in her agitation. The Goddess wasn't even sure if she could do what Freya asked, if she could actually go that far. Especially when every moment with Lezard was a struggle of a different kind. Just talking to him agitated her, and Lenneth still remembered how disturbed she had been at the thought that he had touched her while she had slept. However was she to endure his touches, to actually feign an acceptance of them, when her every instinct cried out for her to protect herself?

She didn't even want to think of what went beyond touching, Lenneth shuddering again. She had never, ever been that close to another being before, to even consider sharing such intimacy. And now to be expected to do that with one as despised as Lezard? Lenneth thought she might be ill. It must have shown on her face, for Freya was sighing.

"Is it really that outrageous a demand we make of you?"

Lenneth turned to fixed Freya with a disbelieving look, nearly laughing with bitter contempt. "It is." Lenneth paused, then shook her head. "It is and it is not. I shouldn't be surprised, I shouldn't be so taken aback. You've gone so far as to tie me to him in marriage, and with a blood bond. Why not go that final step and take everything from me?"

"It's a sacrifice yes." Freya agreed with a sigh. "But you can do so much good through it."

"And what if you're wrong?" Lenneth demanded. "What if Lezard has no weaknesses? What if there's no way to defeat him? What if I do all this, and not even Gungnir is revealed to me?"

"It's a risk yes...but ultimately one you have to be willing to chance." Replied Freya. "We need the divine lance, need it to return stability to the shining realm. With it gone, and Odin dead, we are susceptible to attacks, especially from Surt's kingdom." It was just another reminder of what rode on Lenneth's shoulders, the Goddess swearing the burden on her was growing by the minute in size. What had started out as a way to keep the Aesir alive and well, had now blown out of proportion to protecting an entire realm from attacks and it's ultimate destruction.

"Lenneth..." The Goddess was approaching her, a sad smile on her lips. "You are the only one I can ask this of. You are the only one he will allow so close to, the only one in the prime position to be his downfall."

"I...I understand that..."

"Much of the groundwork is already laid for you." Added Freya. "He is already half blind with desire for you. You just need to capitalize on this weakness of his..." Lenneth said nothing, allowing Freya to place hands on her shoulders. "I know you. This is a battle unlike any you've ever fought. You'll have to rely on an arsenal that you're not familiar with, one you've had no time to develop. But I will help you..."

Lenneth turned wary then. "Help me how?"

Freya was now fingering Lenneth's hair, the curls that had escaped her ankle length braid. The Goddess; smile became more pronounced, the woman looking over Lenneth with a critical eye. "You are beautiful. Even for a Goddess. You would bring shame to many if you but smiled more."

"I've nothing to smile about." Lenneth reminded her.

"It's a pity." Freya sighed. "Think of the effect something as simple as a smile would have on him. To see it light up your face, your expression warm with it. I dare say a few timed smiles would do much to throw Lezard off his guard."

"Is a smile really all that powerful?" Lenneth wondered out loud.

"It is! To receive and to give. I would have you practice such an act, until it becomes more natural to you. You must learn to make it seem real, to let it lighten the sternness of your eyes." Freya told her, and gave her once such smile now. Lenneth noted how it transformed the normally strict looking Goddess into a more approachable person.

"Smiles are all well and good, but I doubt they will get me what you want." Lenneth said after a moment's pause. "I do not want to take him to my bed...but...I will do as you command. However, I have no idea about how to approach him to get him there."

Freya laughed, the smile still on her face, though her eyes were turning serious once more. "It will not be a hard task to lure him to lay with you. The difficulty will be in knowing when to do it, and how."

"When? How?" Lenneth was frowning again.

"Timing is everything. You want to keep him so off balanced, he is distracted from everything else. Time may be the essence, but we can't rush this sort of thing. You must build up his anticipation, keep him wanting for more."

"More?"

"Start off with a few unasked for touches. Some shared looks. Engage his interest beyond his body, talk to him. It will be easier to lull him into compliance if he believes a relationship is building between you two..." Freya explained. Lenneth knew she had a blank look on her face, that went beyond blanching at the thought of forging some kind of relationship, false or otherwise between her and Lezard.

"Talk to him about what?" Lenneth asked, her words a reminder to Freya that the Valkyrie Goddess was inexperienced when it came to most social conventions. Lenneth had little knowledge when it came to making small talk, her life having been devoted to Odin and her duties. She could talk at length about any of her einherjar, and the battles she had taken part in. But such talk wasn't the kind that would set a mood for romance, and even Lenneth understood that much.

"Generally when two people are getting to know each other, they talk about themselves." Freya began with a frown. Surely the thought had occurred to the blonde Goddess that Lenneth wouldn't have much to offer in that realm of conversation, Freya sighing. "If you can, try to engage him to talk about himself. It may prove useful."

"Useful? In taking him down?" Lenneth was eager then.

"It just might." Agreed Freya. "At the very least, you might learn something you can use. If not a key to his ultimate defeat, then a way to exploit his affections for you. Lenneth, you must take any and every opportunity to strengthen the interest he has for you."

"I can try." She was doubtful then, Freya giving her a stern look.

"You must do more than try! You must succeed. The fate of the Aesir, of Asgard, even of Midgard, depend on you."

"Midgard?" Lenneth seized on that word, grateful for the chance to divert the topic away from seduction. "What of Midgard concerns you?" Freya stepped away from Lenneth, her gaze shifty. "Freya? You know I have heard things from Lezard...And not just about Silmeria."

"So then you know." Freya said, and Lenneth hesitated.

"I know nothing for certain. I only know what Lezard has told me...and have no way of confirming it as fact." Lenneth stared searchingly into Freya's face. "Please...tell me. Is it true? Did Odin really seek out the Dragon's Orb?" It was Freya's turn to hesitate before answering. But at last her shoulders slumped, the Goddess giving a cut nod. "Why?" Lenneth asked, aghast to think this much was true.

"To keep it out of the mortals' hands of course." Freya answered.

"But to remove it from Midgard, it jeopardizes that entire realm!" Lenneth protested, and gasped at what Freya said in reply.

"Odin knew and well intended for the mortal's realm to be wiped out." Freya's face was growing blank, all emotions hidden away behind impassive eyes. "The mortals had grown too dangerous, especially those of Dipan."

"Dipan...I heard of what happened there..."

"Then you can understand Odin's unease. The people of Dipan nearly succeeded in gaining independence from the Gods. They even managed to perform the sovereign's rite, casting the Valkyrie souls into jeopardy. Dipan had grown too dangerous to allow it's people to live." Freya explained.

"Then punish Dipan, but leave the rest of the mortals alone!" exclaimed Lenneth angrily. Freya looked startled at the Valkyrie's outburst.

"We did that...but Odin wasn't content to risk a repeat of Dipan's actions!"

"So he condemns an entire race?" Lenneth demanded with a shake of her head. "Freya, surely you didn't agree with this?"

"It wouldn't have mattered what I felt. Odin had made up his mind about Midgard." That was all the answer the Fertility Goddess would give her, Lenneth fighting back a frown.

"What about the mortals now? What will be their fate?" Lenneth asked. Freya shrugged.

"One cannot say...We NEED the Dragons' Orb. If only to maintain Asgard's equilibrium."

It was all the more reason for Lenneth to get back Gungnir, to return the divine treasure to it's rightful place, in order to free up the Dragon Orb. For only then would the orb be allowed to be returned to the mortal's realm. So much was at stake here, it went beyond the God's lives, or the stability of the shining realm. Lenneth didn't know what kind of chaos would follow the collapse of Midgard, but she knew enough to know she would do anything to stop it. Even sleep with Lezard.

"I..."

Freya suddenly held up a hand for silence, head cocked to the side. She appeared in deep concentration, listening for something. "He's coming." The Goddess announced, and something like panic flared up inside Lenneth. She didn't like that sensation, never having felt such a feeling before. "My barrier is close to breaking."

"I'm not yet ready to face him!" Lenneth exclaimed, twisting her fingers together wretchedly.

"You can and you will." Ordered Freya, eyes seeming to blaze with certainty.

"There's more I haven't had the chance to tell you!" Lenneth could feel the presence of a powerful force crashing into the barrier Freya had erected. The room seemed to shake from the force's attempts to bring down the barrier, but neither Goddess stumbled or swayed in response. "Silmeria..." She began, and Freya's attention was immediately given her. "She still lives..."

"What?" Freya appeared shocked. The Goddess had clearly not bet much on Lenneth's sister surviving Lezard's mad schemes. "Is this true?"

"I've seen her." Lenneth confirmed. "She's trapped, her soul unable to escape the sovereign's rite at the moment. Lezard tells me her human host was killed..."

"Yes, she was." Lenneth noted that Freya made no mention of the fact that it was Odin who had done that.

"Host or not, we can still recover her." Lenneth continued.

"I'm...I'm not sure that is wise." Freya's words had Lenneth shocked, the Valkyrie staring aghast at the Goddess. "Silmeria has been poisoned by the undead. She is no longer the Goddess we once knew."

"Just what had been Silmeria's crime, that even you would abandon her, Freya?" Lenneth demanded, feeling the power grow stronger against the barrier. It wouldn't be long before it collapsed completely, but Lenneth was determined to have answers. "What did she do? What turned her against Odin?"

She couldn't be certain, but Lenneth swore Freya let her barrier drop. And all to allow Lezard's arrival to distract Lenneth from talk of Silmeria's rebellion. And he did distract, Lezard arriving in a whirlwind of gold sparkles, the ether rolling off him in thick clumps. He looked furious, glaring at the Goddesses as though both had been responsible for the barrier.

"I told you to behave yourself, Goddess!" Lezard all but snarled as he approached Freya. Lenneth didn't know what he intended to do, but she found herself moving, placing herself between Lezard and Freya. He actually seemed to look through Lenneth, so angry was he with the blonde Goddess.

"There was nothing wrong with what I did." Freya retorted, her own hands starting to spark with golden ether. "I merely sought the privacy to speak with Lenneth."

"About what?" He was suspicious, to the point it bordered on insane. Lenneth nervously placed her hands on his chest, drawing his attention away from the Goddess.

"It was nothing." She forced the lie to roll of her tongue, cloaking it with a bit of truth. "We talked about Odin, the Dragon's Orb, even my sister..." Lezard stared into her eyes, surely trying to divine if she told the truth or not.

"Do not worry my Lord." Freya's tone was sarcastic. "I said nothing to poison her against you." Lezard's eyes narrowed at that, leaving Lenneth to wonder if that is what he really feared.

"This visit is over with." Decided Lezard, and he gently but firmly eased Lenneth out of his way. Freya was still charging her ether, as though poised to attack him. "We're leaving." He said, ignoring the ether that exploded against his chest when he grabbed Freya by the arm. "Wait here Lenneth."

Lenneth nodded, crossing her arms over her chest to watch as Lezard dragged Freya through a shower of ether. The pair vanished before the ether had touched the floor, the sparkles lingering on the carpet. She let out a shaky breath, finding her nerves were still shot and on edge. And all because of what Freya had ordered her to do, Lenneth wondering if she'd ever be able to reconcile herself to such an act. And yet she wasn't used to disobeying orders, even if she found them distasteful. Lenneth was an obedient servant, though not to the extremes that her sister Hrist was rumored to be. Never had she truly rebelled against Odin, never had she found incentive too. Nor did she normally question his motives. But this business with the stolen Dragon's Orb had her doing just that.

Midgard needed the treasure returned to it's realm. The mortals couldn't be allowed to be wiped out. She didn't understand what Odin had been thinking, at the very least the Gods had use for the mortals. It was the humans that they lined their armies with, their souls brought to Asgard in order to train for the world ending fight that was known as Ragnarok. Had Odin not considered that when he had cast a covetous eye on the orb?

Thoughts of Odin and the Dragon's Orb were an attempt to distract her from the more pressing problem. But it wouldn't work, Lenneth aware of what she must do in regard to Lezard. There was little if anything that could give her comfort, Lenneth almost shaking as she thought about engaging Lezard in that manner. Her only reprieve was the fact that Freya had advised her to draw out the seduction, to not give it all up at once. Maybe then it would buy Lenneth enough time to get used to the idea of sharing such intimacy with the man who was her husband.

She wasn't completely naive, she had known what would be expected of her as the God's wife. But Lenneth hadn't expected to have to play along, to feign interest, to act delighted to be touched by him. She had expected to go down with a fight, to make things as difficult as possible for Lezard. Some part of her had expected to anger him to the point he killed her! Never had she thought she would have to welcome his attentions, to not only embrace him, but to actively seek him out.

These thoughts disquieted her, Lenneth disturbed and pacing about the room. She had to keep repeating to herself the reasons for what she was going to have to do. Gungnir needed to be recovered, and with it's return, all else would fall into place. Midgard would be safe, and a new King could be chosen among the Gods. Lenneth didn't put much stock into Lezard surviving once Gungnir was taken from him. With the combined powers of the orb and the divine lance, even a God as powerful as the Creator, would fall. Once Lezard was out of the picture, a new King chosen, things would go back to normal. She had to keep believing that, or she would go mad.

She sensed Lezard's return before he appeared in the room. His strong hand use of ether to teleport always issued a suffocating wave of power through spaces as confined as this room was. Lenneth was turning towards the point of his emergence, watching the air shimmer and explode into a shower of gold sparkles. Lezard, even more so disheveled than previously, appeared. His shirt was smeared with gold streaks, a result of Freya's attacks ruining the white fabric.

His eyes seemed to churn with violent emotion, Lezard still bothered by whatever had happened between him and Freya. It probably kept him from noticing how she reacted to his arrival, Lenneth turning nervous, her hands seeming to grow damp in response. She tried not to be obvious as she touched the bodice of her dress, trying to wipe the moisture off her skin.

"Freya is insufferable even for a God." Lezard finally muttered, and Lenneth took offense to that. She was speaking before she could stop herself, staunch in her defense of the Goddess.

"She is not. She is loyal to a fault, and a good judge of people. If she is cold to you, it's no doubt because you earned it." Unspoken was the thought that Freya hated Lezard because he had killed her lover and king, Odin.

"I think to Freya, if anything, she despises me for my humble beginnings." Lezard retorted. "She'll never forgive me for starting off my life as a mortal, will she?"

Lenneth wondered if Freya could really be that prejudiced. "I think you know it's more than just the mortality that once clung to you."

"But you have to admit it plays a huge part in her hate. In all their hate." Lezard said. "They may never get over the fact that a mere mortal killed their King." She said a

simple yes to that, earning a frown from Lezard. "Hmph. They think of mortals as inferior beings...there wouldn't even be an issue if I had been born a God, and performed such a coup."

Lenneth knew that was probably true, Gods killing Gods long before Lezard had slayed Odin. Of course Lenneth had no experience with the Gods who came before Odin. On one hand she knew there had to have been a King before him, someone Odin toppled from his throne to seize the power for himself. But that had all happened before she was created, and it had been millennia upon millennia since Odin had gained a strong hold over the Aesir.

"It goes against everything we are used to." She said at loud. "You can surely understand their upset at the thought of a mortal, of the very people we rule over, leading a successful uprising against us. I'm sure the worry is that if one succeeded at it, what's to stop another...?"

"I was a special case." Lezard boasted with a smile. "There's very little chance of anyone else replicating the means in which I used to become a God."

"That may be, but the fear still remains..."

"I didn't think Gods felt fear." That made Lenneth frown, the Goddess feeling as though she had somehow misspoke.

"It is not an impossible emotion, though it is rare." Lenneth said. He appeared to be considering what she had said. "Gods can feel anything, any emotion if it's strong enough...:

"Do you?" She blinked, confused. "Feel fear I mean?"

Lenneth paused, trying to think on how to answer that. She wasn't used to fear, any more than Freya or the rest of the divine pantheon was. Unfamiliar though it was, she was still able to recognize it, Lenneth known she had been feeling tiny waves of it when Lezard had first brought her into his world. Those first hours, the time spent unsure of what exactly he would do. Of how she had thought he would use her, then kill her like he had done Odin. Or how she had thought he had done something to her sister Silmeria. Yes, she had felt fear, around him and because of him, but Lenneth didn't want to admit to that.

"A Valkyrie cannot know fear...It would lead to doubts and hesitations on the battle field, which in turn would cause a chance to be hurt or even killed." She finally answered.

"That's all fine and well, but you closed yourself off from all manner of feelings. No doubt Odin and Freya encouraged you to." Lezard grumbled that last bit. It gave Lenneth pause, the Goddess trying to think if she had ever been encouraged to do some free thinking, to feel. Thoughts of the warrior she had helped spare from death rose in her, Lenneth remembering how disappointed Odin had been with her actions. She had felt then, letting emotions involve her in the warrior's plight so that she acted to save him from what she viewed as unfair death.

"A Valkyrie has no need for feelings. They would only get in the way..."

"That's no way to live out an eternity!" Lezard admonished her. "Odin did you wrong in making you think like that, in denying you the right to let emotions run their course in you." He stepped closer towards her, Lenneth holding herself still for his approach. "Lenneth...you don't have to close yourself off any more. You can live, you can feel and experience, you no longer have to be the servant of the Gods."

His hand was reaching to touch her face, Lenneth fighting not to clench her hands into fists. It was the only thing she could concentrate on to keep from lashing out at him, Lenneth reminding herself that if she couldn't endure such a simple touch here and now, she'd never be able to go all the way as his seductress.

"And I suppose you will help me?" Lenneth asked, his fingers brushing her cheek. A slight smile played out on his lips, Lezard nodding his head.

"I will. I'll do everything I can to help you stop being an emotionless shell..."

"Why?"

He paused at that, blinking rapidly. "Why?" She nodded, waiting for his reason. "It would give me the utmost pleasure to see you enjoy yourself. To see you experience emotions, some for the first time..."

"And you have no self serving motives for this?" Lenneth asked, with an arch of her brow. Lezard fingered a wavy strand of her hair, the curl too short to be tucked into her long braid of her hair.

"I admit I do have some selfish reasons for wanting to see you become that way." She noted how pleasured he looked just from touching her, the man taking joy from the act. "A woman who can feel can love..."

This was the point she would have erupted into anger, shouting things at him, denying him capable of earning her love. But now with Freya's command firmly entrenched in her mind, Lenneth wasn't sure how to react. The Goddess knew she had to start building a foundation for a relationship with him, if only to ease her way into betraying him later.

"And you hope I will love you." It took quite the effort not to hiss out those words, not to show contempt or disgust. Lezard nodded, pleased and it was more than she could take. She stepped past him, letting the curl spring free of his grip. She wondered if Freya would be disappointed in her, that Lenneth hadn't been able to tolerate a longer interaction.

Baby steps. She whispered in her mind. It would have to do, Lenneth taking small steps to build up both her nerve and the relationship between her and her husband. She just hoped Midgard and Asgard could last that long, the Goddess feeling the constraints of time in a way she had never noticed before.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, thanks! Glad you liked my description of Silmeria. :) Silmeria...ah...it will be difficult...whatever happens. XD Lezard blindfolding Freya cracks me up! XD

LordLezardValeth, thank you! I'm glad you liked the descriptions of her sisters. I don't believe they ever explained why Odin made it only one Valkyrie at a time. Kinda crazy, that rule. Maybe he feared rebellion from them. Freya would not want to make anything easy, you're right! Ha ha ha! And you're on the right track about the seduction thing backfiring on Lenneth. XD

Evilerk, thanks very much!


	12. Chapter 12

He watched as Lenneth turned away from him, the memory of the feel of her hair's curl lingering on his fingertips. The fact that she had allowed him that small touch surprised as much as it pleased him, Lezard wondering who he should thank for being granted that privilege. He refused though, to think that blessing could be attributed to the Goddess Freya. If anything, Lezard would assume that Freya would have set out to ensure Lenneth's continued hostility towards him.

Even thinking of Freya wasn't enough to completely sour his mood, not with Lenneth near and nowhere near as combative as she had been just a day ago. It made him think the Goddess' visit had been a good thing, if Freya could affect Lenneth's disposition in so startling a fashion. He was almost glad he had brought the Goddess into his world, even with the aggravation of fighting with Freya.

The Goddess had not been pleased by his invite. Hell, she hadn't even liked his arrival inside Odin's hall. Freya had been in the midst of overseeing repairs to the throne room of Valhalla, though she had abandoned her work immediately to attack Lezard. Freya claimed she had reacted on instinct, but Lezard had strong doubts about that. The Fertility Goddess hated him, and no amount of fealty and promises would get her to drop the grudge she bore against him.

Nor had she wanted to come with him into an unknown world, the Goddess more leery than impressed at the thought of Lezard's creation of a new world tree. She had struggled, Lezard manhandling her into his embrace. He had teleported them then, though not directly to his world, Lezard taking a much longer route that he hoped would be difficult for the Goddess to retrace. And all because he wanted to ensure that Freya and the other Gods would not be able to pay unexpected visits on him and his bride.

He understood the necessity of bringing Freya to see Lenneth. The Valkyrie had needed answers, needed confirmation of the truths he had told her. But he didn't like that he had had to allow such a visit. Lezard didn't want Freya needlessly complicating things, nor did he trust her to behave. It was one reason he had erected a ward on the newly created room. The ward barred both Goddesses from teleporting, Lezard not wanting Freya to take it upon herself to try and explore his new world for weaknesses.

He was wondering now if he should have warded the room against any use of powers, Lezard not liking that Freya had erected a barrier. It both kept him out of the room, and prevented him from eavesdropping. And he had very much wanted to spy on Lenneth and Freya's conversations! Lezard wasn't sure what exactly he thought they would talk about, but there had been the chance for more insight into Lenneth's soul. She might have been confiding things to Freya, concerns and fears, or even have alluded to what exactly she felt about her new husband.

Freya had cost him the chance to hear all that, Lezard burning with anger once the barrier fell. He could admit to being paranoid as well as angry, and he had been most eager to chastise the Goddess. His rage was subsided by Lenneth's presence, of her reassurance that nothing suspicious had been going on. He didn't think she would lie to him, Lenneth a far purer soul than that of the Goddess Freya.

He was all too glad to take Freya back to Asgard, going that round about way to confuse her. Freya hadn't been able to resist making snide comments during their travels, even going so far as to fling balls of ether at him as he attempted to depart from Valhalla. That Goddess surely tried his patience, Lezard feeling no fondness towards Freya or any of the other Gods save Lenneth.

He was glad to leave Freya behind, both in reality and in his thoughts. Lezard would much rather devote his time and energy, his every thought to Lenneth and his pursuit of her. Of the happiness they would share, once this initial rough period was over and done with. Lezard was feeling renewed hope, and all because of the touch she had allowed him, and the way she hadn't overreacted with anger towards what he was saying to her.

He had noted how she appeared to consider his words when he spoke about the wrong the Gods had done her. How Odin and Freya should never have tried to force Lenneth to lead an emotionless eternity. Lezard had no way of knowing how she truly felt about that, not so long as she did her musings privately. But the fact that she hadn't erupted into anger, had bothered to think about it was promising.

He had meant it with all his heart when he said he wanted to help her learn to feel. It went beyond self serving desires, Lezard wanting Lenneth to awaken to her emotions, to experience all of them. Good and bad. Her life would be richer for it.

He knew she was capable of feelings, no matter what lies Odin had filled her head with. He had often spied on the Lenneth of the future, watching her engage with others, both Gods and einherjar alike. She had been prone to smiles, eyes sparkling with warmth. Her laughter was like bell chimes, light and pleasant to hear. He had noted with some displeasure she laughed the most when she was with that man of hers.

Just thinking of Lucian was almost enough to bring his mood crashing downwards. Lezard had to repeat several times to himself that Lucian didn't exist in this time period, was far from being born. That as long as Lezard reigned as Creator, Lucian would never be a problem to darken their door.

Lezard refused to consider the idea that Lucian could be the sole key to unlocking Lenneth's feelings. The boy was after all, nothing special. Just a remnant of a time when Lenneth had slept inside a human. A time better forgotten, just one moment in a string of lives the Goddess had lived. The real key Lezard thought, was interacting with someone who cared about her. He felt from the experiences that Silmeria and Hrist had shown him, that a Valkyrie could soften to emotions. Silmeria had been the most feeling of the three, having spent eighteen long years as internal companion to princess Alicia.

Even Hrist had changed, evolving past merciless killer from her interactions with Alicia and the party they traveled with. When Hrist had started out, she had been cold, ruthless, determined to kill Alicia. How quickly she had changed, no longer dispassionate about her duty to Odin. Such doubts and hesitations had stayed Hrist's hand time and time again, the Goddess no longer wanting to strike the killing blow to the princess of Dipan.

Alicia wasn't anywhere near as cleaver or charming as Lezard thought himself to be. It made him believe that if she could have such an effect on the Valkyries, then he could surely recreate that success with Lenneth. Once again he thought of the moment when he reached for her, the Goddess stilling as she allowed him to touch her hair. It was more progress than he had hoped to make this soon, and pleasure infused him over this small victory.

It mattered not that she had reached her limit, turning away from him. He had hope. He'd continue to try to touch her, small touches that would someday lead to grander things. Until the day came that she went willingly into his arms. It was hard not to lose himself to the fantasy of what would happen then, Lezard longing for the moment when she would love him back. It went beyond the carnal desires of the body, to a connection of their souls, the two becoming one in body, mind, and soul.

Sex alone wasn't enough for him. He wanted, needed that connection, that fulfillment of love returned. And until he got it, Lezard could hold himself back, contenting himself with the chase. He didn't believe in endings, for the chase would lead to new beginnings between them.

"Lezard..." He blinked, Lenneth was drawing near to him. Whatever private musings she had had, it had led her to break the silence between them. He didn't mind, loving the sound of her voice, especially when it was saying his name. Almost as much as he loved seeing himself reflected in her eyes, no matter what emotion colored them.

"Yes, Lenneth?" He let her know she had his full attention, though the only thing that could distract him from Lenneth was his thoughts about her.

"I..." Her lips seemed to quiver, but ultimately failed to deliver a smile to him. "I want to thank you." She said at last. He raised a brow at that, Lenneth hurrying to clarify. "For bringing Freya to visit."

"Ah...that." His voice was bland, betraying none of what he felt about Freya and her visit.

"Really. I mean it. It was good to see her." She seemed to fidget for a moment. "Will you permit her to visit again?"

"I'm not sure that's wise." Lezard hated to refuse her a request, but he was still bothered by what Freya had done. "She's difficult to handle...and I rather not have her turn my world upside down with her antics."

"You are angry." Noted Lenneth. "About the barrier she erected."

"You can't really be surprised about that." Lezard countered. "I bring her into my home, and the first thing she does is use her powers against me."

"Would you have left us to be truly alone together if she had not done that?" Lenneth asked. Lezard didn't even try to hide his hesitation, shrugging.

"I was curious as to what you would say to each other."

"You could have just asked instead of trying to spy on us!" pointed out Lenneth.

"And would you have told me?"

He watched as she hesitated. "If it was something that I could freely share then yes."

"It's not right to keep secrets from me, Lenneth." Lezard said.

"You sought to keep Silmeria's presence a secret from me!" She quickly pointed out.

"That's...well...different." Lenneth fixed him with a skeptical look. "I was merely waiting for the right time to reveal her to you." She still didn't look like she believed him though. "You said you talked about her to Freya. What was the Goddess' reaction?"

"Not...not what I hoped for." Admitted Lenneth. "She wasn't nearly as pleased as I was to know my sister still lived."

"Not surprising after the lengths Odin went through on Silmeria's behalf."

"She wouldn't even explain about Silmeria's crime." Lenneth complained.

"So you didn't get the answers you sought?" He asked.

"No. Not about this." Lenneth sighed, shaking her head. "Freya was close lipped except to say my sister had been poisoned by the undead." Another sigh, Lenneth half turning from him. "She confirmed what you said about the Dragon's Orb though. That and Odin's lust for it. His decision to throw away the mortals and their realm."

"Does it...disturb you?"

"It bothers me." Lenneth admitted. "Even with Dipan's transgressions against the Gods, the rest of that race shouldn't have been condemned to extinction."

"I don't have much fondness for my former life, but even I think that is too extreme."

"Midgard wouldn't be in danger if the orb was returned to it." Lenneth pointed out.

"But without the orb Asgard will fall." He reminded her, watching her hesitate.

"What about Gungnir? Could you not...return it to Asgard?" It seemed such an innocent query, no calculation or animosity on her part. And yet Lenneth had to know what she was asking him to give up, Lezard frowning at her.

"The lance is mine now. To give it up would bring about pure folly."

"And I suppose residing in Asgard is out of the question?" She asked.

"I did not go to the trouble of creating this world, simply to toss it aside." Was his answer. It only served to upset her, Lenneth turning agitated in response. "There's still time Lenneth. Midgard has a ways to go before it falls into decay. Perhaps I'll be able to find an alternative power source for that realm."

"Can you really turn your back on Midgard?" Lenneth asked abruptly. "And the people of that world? They were your own kind after all." He said nothing to that, almost turning away from her then. "Was your mortal life that horrible? That you would forget all about your origins?"

"It was neither good nor bad." Lezard answered. "It was more boring than anything. And utterly meaningless."

"I don't believe that!" protested Lenneth. "There is meaning to life, from a human's down to an insect's. All have a purpose..."

"Purpose...what purpose does the life of a human's serve? Except to be slaves to the Gods' whims." He shook his head then. "No...I don't believe in this purpose you speak of. I renounced any such use the Gods may have had for me. I made my own destiny, I escaped whatever designs the gods had placed on me."

She didn't look happy at what he had had to say. "I would have thought a mortal turned God would be the humanity's biggest champion. I would have hoped such a being would strive to improve the human's lot in life, to protect them, not idly sit back and watch their descent into destruction!"

Lezard had to bite back any retort he could have made, realizing he was only digging himself a deeper hole. He was disappointing Lenneth with his cold, impassive response to Midgard's plight. He wasn't stupid. Disappointment could easily turn to hate, and he didn't want that. As much as he didn't want to get involved with Migard's troubles, he might very well have to, if only to appease his bride's discontent.

"I will give the matter some thought." He said at last.

"The divine treasures NEED to be returned to their rightful places." Is what Lenneth said in response.

"Maybe, maybe not." Lezard retorted. "I am Creator, am I not?" A cautious nod from Lenneth. "It should be child's play to come up with an answer to stabilize the two realms without sacrificing one's well being for another's."

"Midgard may not have the time for you to learn how to wield your powers in that manner!" protested Lenneth.

"And I repeat that Midgard still has time." Lezard thought of what he knew of the future, of how it took decades to pass before Midgard became as run down as it had been during the time of his birth. It had to be at least one hundred years since Odin had claimed the Dragon's Orb, and Midgard had been in a rapid downward spiral. Many of the cities and towns turning to slums, full of degenerates and criminals. There had been few safe havens, slavery a rampant problem, and wars occurring nearly daily.

Truth be known, Lezard himself would like to study the orb. All to get a better understanding of how it worked, and why it effected Midgard's prosperity so. From what the philosopher's stone had told him, each of the four divine treasures affected their guardian realm in a different manner He knew enough of Gungnir to know it kept Asgard afloat, the realm high up in the heavens towering over Midgard. The shining realm prospered so long as Gungnir remained within it, and it's power was such it kept other realm's inhabitants at bay.

Lezard was confidant that given enough time and experimentation, he could come up with a suitable solution to the problem. And if not, as a last ditch effort, he could move the humans of Midgard to this new world he had created. All in an attempt to please Lenneth. He had made this world with her in mind, crafting it to appeal to all her senses. If filling it with humans would make her happy, than that is what he would do.

Lenneth had fallen quiet, just staring at him with a frustrated look in her blue eyes. "Lenneth, I promise you. I will find a way to save Midgard." She looked surprised then, her question cautious, not wanting to give in to any false hope.

"You truly mean that?" He nodded, and watched the relief seeped into her. "Thank you."

"You care about the humans. What ties you to them so strongly?" He didn't dare speak of her future self, of the Creator Lenneth who had cared enough about Midgard to shed tears over it's destruction. She had been overjoyed when she had discovered the power within her, power Lezard had enabled her to receive, power which she used to save Midgard. To reconstruct it from the nothing in which Loki had turned it into.

As hated as the idea was, he had assumed it was Lucian and her memories of life as a mortal that had made Lenneth feel such a strong connection to Midgard and it's inhabitants. That this Lenneth, a Lenneth with no memories of mortal life, and no Lucian tying her down, could perhaps feel just as strong was truly surprising to him. Perhaps it was the three Valkyrie's natures to care about the humans, since they worked so closely with their souls.

"We Gods depend on the humans." Lenneth said at last. "They fight for us, defend us...they put their souls on the line, risking total annihilation to fight the Gods' wars. We should respect the sacrifice they offer us, protect them in kind."

"That's all well in good, though it doesn't answer why you, yourself care so much about the humans." Lezard pointed out. She blinked slowly, seeming so unsure. "Don't you know?"

"I have had interactions with humans for centuries." Lenneth began. "I've seen the lives of the ones I've called upon to become my einherjar. I've experienced their hopes, dreams, and disappointments. They are a valued existence to me...ones with merit that deserve better than what they get."

He smiled then. "Thank you for answering Lenneth. I don't see them the way you do, but I admire that they can capture your attention so. If anyone is the true champion of Midgard, it would be you..."

Was that the faintest of pink in her cheeks? She seem flustered by his praise, Lenneth looking away from him. His smile widened, Lezard liking that he could affect her in this manner.

"You don't think it is strange?" She asked, still not looking at him. "That a Valkyrie could care about the mortals so?"

"Strange? No. Endearing is more like it."

"Lord Odin would have said it interferes with my ability to do my job as Chooser of the slain..." Lenneth murmured.

"But I am not Odin, nor do I hold his antiquated notions about what a Valkyrie should and should not be." Lezard pointed out. "Your sister Silmeria cared for the humans too..." Lenneth turned startled then. "I wager it was just one more reason for Odin's disappointment in her."

"Yes, that would disappoint him." Lenneth agreed. "He would not like it if I or Hrist shared in any of Silmeria's traits. Not after her rebellion against him..."

"There is a new Lord now. And I do not mind you softening towards the other races." Lezard continued to smile warmly at her. She stayed flustered, Lenneth fidgeting as she looked everywhere but at Lezard. He had to hold back his laughter at her reactions, finding she was cuter than he had ever expected.

"You don't think it a weakening if I do?" She asked at last.

"Not at all." Lezard quickly assured her. "If anything, it makes you a more approachable Goddess."

"This comes down to feelings again, doesn't it?" Lenneth demanded. "Do you think that because I care for the humans, I will come to care for you?"

"If you come to care for me, it will have nothing to do with the humans and all to do with the person I am. I hope to appeal to you on a deeper level than that of the concern you show for the people of Midgard." He dared to reach out to her, trying for another touch. Wonders of wonders she allowed it, though he felt the slightest of trembles go through her as he laid his hand on her cheek. "You will love me, not for what I do to the Gods and the mortals, but for the person that I am."

Lenneth seemed to shiver in response, staring at him with a hard to read look in her eyes. But she didn't set about to refusing his claims, and that to Lezard was yet another positive sign that she was starting to soften towards him. The ice she kept around her like a shield was melting, slowly but surely. It was faster progress than he had dared to believe in, Lezard feeling like he was succeeding in the impossible. Lenneth would soon be his, in every way that mattered.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

God Emperor Nex, that's for sure. But will her love always be a faked thing? That is the question!

Alpha Huntress, yeah she was. That's Freya for you, though! But on one hand, Freya didn't let Lenneth fill her in, cause she was aware Lezard could discover the barrier at any moment, and knew time was of the essence. In other words she had to tell Lenneth what her true mission is before Lezard learned he couldn't evaesdrop on the conversation! Still doesn't excuse her mind you. Thank you, and keep on hoping regarding Lenneth and her sister Silmeria. :) The Dragon Orb stipulation, sad to say was something I did not think of at the time...*is so not infallible.*

Lord Lezard Valeth, thank you! Ah...now I am at the really tricky part...trying to show Lenneth gradually warm up to him. I've been dreading this part, cause I feel really stuck on how to show them going close. It's like the starting and ending stuff I have clearly in my head, but it's a huge blank for the romance middle. X_X Oh man, that would be bad if some other mortal tried to overthrow the gods...i.e. Lezard! XD


	13. Chapter 13

It was difficult not to tremble whenever her husband, Lezard, took to laying his hands upon her. Even as innocent a touch as that caressing hand on her cheek had been, was enough to make Lenneth's skin crawl, the Goddess fighting not to lash out in violent refusal. The trembles were born of her upset, a betraying shiver going through her, as Lenneth had fought to hold still. It was fortunate that Lezard had misread the reason for her shaking, the fledgling God assuming there was another reason for the trembles. He hadn't seem to suspect in the slightest that Lenneth was struggling to NOT strike him, the Goddess remembering Freya's words, of the deceit she must practice.

It was a deceit that didn't rest easy on Lenneth's soul, the Goddess neither a liar, nor practiced manipulator of men. She had no wiles, no expertise at playing the seducer. Lenneth was a Goddess designed with a certain role in mind, her task to judge souls in order to deem which of the fallen were worthy enough to become warriors of Asgard. She judged, and she trained, working with those souls to bring out their best potential as warriors before allowing them to ascend to Asgard. Never had she had to call upon any other skills, and never had Lenneth had to develop the charm needed to woo a man.

It did not make things easier that the man in question was her husband. A man who claimed to be in love with her. A man driven with a desire so strong, he had gone so far as to kill her King, taking Odin's power and becoming a God all to better pursue Lenneth. Such a man might be easily led by his lusts, but Lezard seemed too smart for that. He had to be, given what he had done, not only destroying Odin, but defeating the entire pantheon of Asgard's divine. Lenneth considered him far too intelligent to fall for a smile regardless of what the Goddess Freya believed.

It would take some real effort, and more than a little sacrifice on Lenneth's part to be able to thoroughly wrap Lezard around her fingers. He would have to believe she loved him, that Lenneth wanted him as much as Lezard wanted her. She didn't know how she was going to do this, how she was going to accomplish such an extravagant lie. She just barely tolerated the man, and at the moment, official order or not, Lenneth couldn't imagine sleeping with him.

She was uneasy, and filled with more than a little despair. The despair wasn't as foreign a feeling as it could be, Lenneth have some experience with the emotion due to her interaction with humans. She had ridden through the highs and lows of human emotion, experiencing the hours that led to a soul's death. Seeing their final hours is what allowed Lenneth to better judge a person, helping her decide just where to guide the soul to.

But for all her experience with human emotion, Lenneth had never come to fully understand the feelings that drove the mortals to such extreme lengths. Nor had she ever truly experienced such feelings for herself. She had practically prided herself on being an unfeeling Valkyrie, and it was jarring to suddenly be besieged by all these new and overwhelming feelings. Especially this sadness, this despair. She hadn't felt it when she had learned Odin had died, though she had been angered by the news. She hadn't even truly felt despair when she learned the other Gods had willingly given her up to their King's murderer. But now, with the knowledge of what Freya would really have Lenneth do? Now that truly depressed her, casting Lenneth into a turmoil of despair and unease.

She didn't like feeling this way. Lenneth knew she should have been grateful for Freya's command, for it gave her a purpose in life. A purpose beyond playing at being Lezard's wife. She now had a real mission to accomplish, to ferret out Lezard's weaknesses, and the location of the divine lance, Gungnir. But the awful truth was Freya expected Lenneth to seduce the information out of Lezard! That was something Lenneth was not prepared to do, and even if she was, the Goddess had no idea how to start. She couldn't even relax her guard down around Lezard, Lenneth on edge and readying herself for a fight. How in the world was she going to convince him she was sincere in her desire to bed him? How could she seduce him without triggering suspicion in Lezard?

Right now, the fact was she couldn't. Lenneth understood there was a certain time limit in which she must woo Lezard. Asgard AND Midgard both depended on her, each realm close to destruction. Asgard needed Gungnir returned to it, and Midgard needed the Dragon Orb. Freya was not willing to return the Orb to Midgard at this time. She might never be ready, but that didn't mean Lenneth could allow Asgard to suffer a similar fate regardless of what Freya would do.

Lezard didn't seem to offer a better alternative. Lenneth had already spoken to him about Midgard's situation, trying to see if she could not get him to right at least one wrong by returning the divine lance. Disappointing though it was, she wasn't surprised he had rejected that idea. Lezard would not be giving up Gungnir any time soon, not even to save the land he had once called home. Midgard remained in danger, Lenneth aware that too much rode on her ability to give herself over to Lezard's lusts.

She didn't believe in his promise to look into the situation. Nor did she think it was possible for Lezard to somehow come up with a new power source alternative for the two realms. Not in time at any rate, Lenneth knowing he still had much to learn about the powers and abilities he had stolen from Odin. Even at the rate he was adapting to his divinity, Lezard simply couldn't do everything for everyone. Not even to please Lenneth.

Right now, pleasing her was very much on Lezard's mind. He was like an eager puppy, quick to agree to just about anything within reason. Lenneth thought him doomed to failure, the Goddess feeling nothing would make her truly happy save to be free of him, free of the burdens his divinity had brought her. She found herself longing for the chance to return to her duties as Valkyrie, where the most trying of tasks had been deciding what to do with a soul who balanced both sides far too evenly to judge easily. Life had been simpler then, on all fronts. Missions deemed beyond her abilities were quickly handed over to her sister Hrist. Of course Lenneth would not wish either of her sisters to be tasked with the problem of bedding Lezard, though she couldn't help but feel Hrist or Silmeria would have found a more palpable solution to problem at hand.

But with both sisters otherwise indisposed from a miscasting of the Sovereign's rite, the trouble landed squarely in Lenneth's lap. Nor did Lezard want either of her sisters, the man firmly convinced Lenneth was the only one for him. It was hardly flattering to be his obsession, Lenneth all too aware that everything that was happening was because of Lezard's interest for her. A part of her might even grudgingly feel responsible. It may not have been her hand that set into motion Odin's death, and endangered the realms, but she was the reason why Lezard had done what he had done. Lenneth just wished there was some other way to set right his crimes, the woman still unable to resign herself to the thought of sleeping with Lezard.

It wasn't just the sex that she had a problem with. It was everything that went with it, the intimacy, the feelings expressed. How could she stomach the lie of pretending to love him? How could she speak such words, and give him misleading looks? Lenneth had been prepared to be ravished, to not go willingly into Lezard's embrace without a fight. But Freya would have her play at being willing and more. And Lenneth was not so unfeeling as to be able to simply do her duty with a fake smile, the Goddess feeling just enough to be properly dismayed at the thought.

A day wasn't enough time to resign herself. A week might not even be enough. Did Asgard and Midgard even have more time than that? The people of both realms were in danger, time not willing to give Lenneth the chance to come to grips with what she had to do. Lenneth feared nothing would make it easier for her, the Goddess not wanting to be reduced to nothing more than a whore. It mattered not how noble her intentions were, she was still all but selling herself for the good of the realms.

It was an upsetting though, one that served to make Lenneth angry. With Lezard, with Freya, with anyone who had a part in the whole mess. But Lenneth had never been the type to openly rebel, at least not against her superiors. Hrist would never, but as Lenneth was coming to learn, Silmeria might have, depending on how distasteful she found an order. But Lenneth was still loyal to Freya and the other Aesir. Much as she might wish otherwise, Lenneth couldn't simply abandon her brethren regardless of how upsetting their orders might be.

Nor did she have a suitable outlet for her upset, Lenneth conscious that she had to try and appear to be softening towards her husband. But slowly, Lenneth aware that too fast an acceptance would simply arouse his suspicions. That slow pace was more than fine with Lenneth, the Goddess savoring the time spent delaying what looked to be inevitable. It didn't stop her from wishing she could slap him, or at least glare her upset at him! But no. She had a role to play, and that included tolerating him. Right now that was all she could manage, Lenneth hardly ready to fall relaxed into his waiting arms.

Nor had she had any desire to return to the room that had been designated as their bedroom. Just being in that room, aware of what was supposed to happen inside it, was more than she could stand. Especially with the reminders all around them, the bed, the flowers, even the love seat. They seemed to taunt her, a fitting thing considering Freya would have Lenneth make a mockery of Lezard's love. At the moment, regardless of what was at stake, Lenneth couldn't in good conscience make so grand a lie.

Ever eager to please her, Lezard had not balked when Lenneth had expressed an interest in further exploration of his newly created world. To Lenneth, it mattered not the destination. Anywhere would do, so long as it wasn't the bedroom. And there was many levels to his world, sized big enough to contain several realms inside it. They'd spend hours traversing the prettier aspects of it, the land as of yet unspoiled by any creatures' hands.

Loathe as she was to admit to favoring anything created by Lezard's hands, Lenneth could still admire the scenic views offered to her. There was the snow tipped trees, and the gemstone cobwebs that glowed in underground tunnels. The tall stalks of golden wheat, the bright and bold colors of flowers. Rivers beds of molten lava, and corral lakes that bubbled merrily. Everything was bight and new, Lenneth likening the colors seen to paint freshly applied to an artist's canvas.

The beach stretched on for miles, white and gold grain making up the soft sand. The only footprints that could be seen, were that of Lenneth and Lezard's, the two walking an unhurried pace towards the water. Lenneth had actually taken off her shoes, enjoying the feel of the soft sand under her feet. That sand would turn softer yet, the surf of the ocean surging forward to wet the ground. Lenneth wouldn't let the approaching water deter her, the Goddess not bothering to lift her long skirts as she waded out knee deep into the water. Lezard would hang back, as though not eager to get his clothing as wet as she had allowed hers to become. Lenneth didn't care, liking that he did not crowd her in the moment.

She could not know he was admiring the picture she presented, with her braided hair trailing it's ribbon end in the water. That water was cool, but it would take a much more freezing temperature to disturb a divine being. Instead she enjoying the feel of the water swirling around her legs, Lenneth staring off into the distance. Watching the waves that rose higher and higher, as though each one was competing, only to be brought crashing down.

There was no danger from the water, the ocean devoid of the fish and aquatic creatures it should have had. It wouldn't always be like this. Someday, perhaps soon, Lezard would fill his world with more than his guardian pet monsters. But for now it was just them, and it would have been an idyllic paradise if the couple that walked this land was anyone else but them.

A slight breeze blew, bringing the scent of the ocean to her. Rustling strands of her hair that had come loose from her braid. Lenneth would reach up with her fingers, tucking a few curls back over an ear before speaking.

"I used to come to the ocean all the time."

"Did you now...?" Lezard was curious, though he did not venture any closer.

"Yes." For a time it seemed that was all Lenneth would say to him, the Goddess continuing to study the waves. They reminded her of the past, of encounters with mortals. Of a time when the ocean was a lot more active than this isolated beach had ever seen. When the waters were angry, and ships groaned in protest, speeding along the water and doing battle with others of it's kind.

"A lot of wars have been fought on the seas." Lenneth spoke out loud, not quite frowning. "Many good men and women have drowned in the ocean's cold embrace. Sometimes by the hundreds..."

"How very terrible." He sounded more polite than anything, as though Lezard couldn't imagine what this had to do with anything.

"I always thought it such a waste." Lenneth continued. "So many people wiped out too quickly when their ship was destroyed. So much potential lost. Often times those who survived the wrecking of their ships, if they COULD even swim, often fell prey to the creatures hunting the waters."

"It's terrible...but nothing you could do about it." Lezard pointed out.

"I know." Lenneth didn't so much as sigh. "It's not often I get to see such a calm ocean. It's...nice." It could almost be considered a compliment to him, Lenneth speaking on something that Lezard had created. "It's certainly different from anything I am used too." She turned to look at him now, still standing knee deep in the water. "Valkyries do not often get to sight see beyond bloody battle fields."

"And those could hardly be called worthy sights." Replied Lezard.

She gave that consideration, before nodding her head. "Oh, there have been plenty of battles all over the realms. In many different kinds of places. But really, after the bodies fall, and the land is littered with the slaughtered warriors? With all that blood, and decomposing bodies, the land all looks the same. And is hardly something one can appreciate." A wry twist of her lips then. "Not even by a Death Goddess."

"Odin kept you busy..."

"The people of the realms are the true culprits." Lenneth retorted. "Their endless needs for battle...it is a trait shared by many, leading to war after war..."

"But Odin could have stopped all that if he truly wanted." Argued Lezard. "If the Creator commands it, the lesser beings must obey." His eyes flashed with dark emotion. "But that wouldn't have suited your King. Without the wars, he'd have no way of gaining the soldiers he needs to fight the Gods' wars."

"Will you be any different than he?" Lenneth challenged, her own eyes surely flashing with some sharp feeling of anger.

"I have no interest in continuing Odin's wars." Lezard answered. "Nor do I intend to seize soldiers from the dead. Besides.." His own wry smile. "I can make as many monsters as I need to fight should someone be fool enough to wage war against us."

She was still uneasy with the thought of Lezard making monsters that held energy similar to that of Hel's undead. But for now, she let that comment slide without voicing a complaint of her own. "By your tone, I dare say you think anyone who would challenge you to be a fool."

"Indeed." He agreed. "The odds are after all stacked against them. I am the inheritor of Odin's power..." Surely Lenneth's eyes flashed at that choice of words, the Goddess branding him a thief where Lezard would act as though he had been given Odin's power willingly. "I wield the divine lance, Gungnir. Only the stupid would go against one such as me, and few if anyone would dare believe they could win against the absolute entity."

She couldn't let that slide, her face heating with her anger. "And yet, did not Odin think the same way?" Lenneth demanded, hands on her hips.

"Ah...there is that..." His smile was too self satisfied, Lezard pleased with what he had done. And why shouldn't he be, when everything he desired was being handed to him, including Lenneth? "Your King was a fool who had grown too compliant with the way things were. He SHOULD have been more alert to what was going on. Instead he let his greed for the Dragon Orb blind him to the true danger approaching him."

Lenneth started to say something back, then abruptly closed her mouth. She didn't like Lezard's cocky attitude, or how he oozed confidence. She didn't need Freya to know the Fertility Goddess would have Lenneth be the thing that blinded Lezard to the threats approaching him. And at the moment, hearing him speak like this about Odin, Lenneth almost didn't mind being made a tool for Freya's use.

Of course, silenced as her words were, it didn't stop the anger from showing in her expression. Her blue eyes were bright with it, Lenneth fighting not to outright glare at Lezard. But he didn't miss the signs, losing some of that arrogance to issue a surprising apology.

"Forgive me." Lezard said with a sigh. "I should not speak so...ill of your dead King."

She was all set to agree with him. Instead her words came out terse, Lenneth trying to appear as though she was making a concession. It was perhaps the only thing she could do to appear as though she was softening somewhat to Lezard and his way of thinking. "You merely speak truths about Odin. Truths I need to acknowledge, truths that led to his demise. If Odin had been a little more attentive, then perhaps he could have avoided dying."

"Indeed." Nodded Lezard, the look in his eyes surprised in response to her words. "I dare say he would have crushed me in an instant if he had known enough to suspect what I intended. As it was...he was too distracted. By the Dragon Orb, Dipan, even your sister Silmeria..."

"Silmeria..." She sighed out her younger sister's name.

"I owe a debt of gratitude to your sister." Lezard told her. "It was she that put into motion so much of what went on..."

"Is that why you never assimilated her soul as you did with Odin?" Lenneth asked.

"Partly." A nervous smile then. "But more so for the fact I knew you could never love a man responsible for ending the existence of one of your sisters."

She leveled a steel eyed expression his way. "If you had hurt either one of my sisters...there would be no chance of you obtaining what you want from me."

Lezard seemed to shiver in response, a half delighted look on his face. That man enjoyed far too much the angry expression and cold glares Lenneth often directed his way. "So you are saying there IS a chance for us?"

Freya would have her lie and answer with an immediate yes. But Lenneth couldn't voice such an agreement, turning away. "Perhaps." Is all she said, staring at the ripple of the water around her. If Lezard was disappointed by that answer, he did not tell her. Nor did he say much of anything, seeming content to watch her in silence. Lenneth could feel his gaze on her, though she tried to ignore it. She'd again tuck hair behind one ear, feeling almost nervous as she spoke.

"Thank you." It was hard to get the words out, especially to him.

"For?" He inquired, and Lenneth glanced over her shoulder.

"For showing me your world." She clarified. Lenneth was rewarded with a brilliant smile from him, Lezard pleased. She couldn't muster up a smile even half as brilliant as he, Lenneth fighting not to frown at how pleased he was by her simple gratitude. She'd quickly look away, but not before feeling she was one step closer to lowering Lezard's defense. This bit of talk, this show of gratitude, might very well be the first steps towards convincing Lezard she was sincere in her desire for him. The sad thing was, she hadn't done it with that purpose in mind, Lenneth having truly enjoyed seeing the different sights of his world. She was still fighting against her fate, against what Freya would have her do. That she came closer to establishing a closer relationship with Lezard was nothing more than a happy accident.

I had such a hard time with this chapter...it's why this fic has been stalled for almost a year. I have plans for much later in the fic, but right now I am tripping up on what to have Lezard and Lenneth talk about. Damn it...part of it cause they're so isolated at this point, part cause they're both so socially awkward. This chapter was hell to try and figure out too...Eventually Silmeria will come into play...maybe then conversations will be easier...X_X Be patient...

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, thanks! Yes...so far Lezard has thought of most if not all the angles. But even he is not infallible. But that veers into spoiler territory, so mum's the word! XD Ha ha ha, I giggle in agreement over your words about Lucian! With Lezard guiding her, that corn boy won't even be a speck in her eyes! XD I know, I always hated how Lucian forced Lenneth to be just ONE of her lives. As if Platina was the real life or some bull shit. -_- What about Lenneth the Goddess! *flails* I remember reading a fic where Lenneth eventually somehow created Platina seperate of herself when she realized she and Lucian weren't working out. That way Lenneth got to be Lenneth, and Lucian and Platina got to live together seperate of the Goddess. Anyway! Back to your comments! Yes, Lenneth gave Lezard something to think about in saving Midgard and Asgard. And hee! He finally got a blush from her! Yay! Now if only I could think what kind of conversations for them to have for this fic. *needs help like whoah*

Black Muse thanks. But Lezard like Odin, can't know and see everything. He knew Freya put up a barrier, but couldn't bring it down right away. Freya was Odin's second in command, so had enough power to keep him out for a little while. Lezard's not perfect, so even he makes mistakes...such as inviting Freya into his world.


	14. Chapter 14

Someone was touching her hair. That was the thought Lenneth awoke to, the Goddess feeling fingers stroking through the long strands of her hair. Over and over, the repetitive motions calming enough that the Goddess nearly went back to sleep. She certainly didn't try to rouse herself, laying nestled among the pillows as phantom fingers lingered and caressed the silk of her hair.

A sigh would escape her, Lenneth almost content in the moment. At that soft exhalation, the fingers stilled, though why they hesitated, she could not guess. But when several moments passed, without Lenneth opening her eyes, the fingers resumed their caressing motion. She didn't quite smile, Lenneth enjoying the touch. She wasn't yet aware enough to be troubled by it. Nor was she wondering just who would presume to dare lay hands on her or her hair.

It wasn't often that Lenneth was touched in this manner. She didn't have much need for pampering, was more used to desperate souls clutching at her hands as they fell to their knees in supplication. Her life had been practically bereft of gentle touches, more used to people trying to kill rather than love her. Even the einherjar she had trained and guided, had always kept themselves at a distance from Lenneth. Respectful, in awe of her, maybe even loving her the way one would a deity. But never had any of them dreamt of laying a covetous hand upon her.

It was little different with her own beings, the Gods of Asgard. They admired her, respected the work she did for them. But never had Lenneth felt any love or desire coming off any of the Aesir. They saw her more as a tool to be used, rather than an equal among them. That had always been fine with Lenneth, the woman existing between two worlds. Unable to bridge the gap between Gods and the lesser beings, Lenneth a creature that was different and alone.

Her sisters surely understood. All three Gods, and yet somehow held apart from the beings that would make use of them. It was an awkward existence, downright lonely at times. With no place for the Valkyries to truly belong. Perhaps it was better that they spent most of their existence sleeping inside mortal hosts. Experiencing those lives as though they were nothing more than dreams, only to awaken when the Gods had need of a particular sister.

It was starting to come back to her, the needs of the Gods. The reason for her awakening in the first place, Lenneth recalling the tattered clothing of the Goddess Freya. How tired she had looked, how beaten. The hands on her hair continued to pet her, as though trying to soothe away the frown she was wearing. A frown that deepened in upset, Freya's words echoing through her mind. Telling her about some mad human who had somehow done the impossible. A madman who had killed their King, taken his power, and become a God. A God who had one and only one desire. A desire for Lenneth, the man so driven by the pursuit of the Valkyrie he had gone to any length to have her.

A name came to her then, Lenneth muttering it in a fitful tone. "Lezard..."

An answering hiss came her way. "Shhh..."

She would not heed it, Lenneth struggling, clawing her way closer to waking fully. Freya's voice continued without mercy, cold, practical. Telling her what Lenneth must do, in order to save everyone. It went beyond the saving of Asgard, of the Gods' lives. It extended to the other realms, Midgard and the mortal creatures who lived there, in danger. Lenneth didn't quite moan in fitful protest, the awful knowledge filling her mind. She was the only hope, the only one who could fix everything. And all it would cost was a piece of her own soul, a price that might be too high for even a Goddess to pay.

Lenneth managed not to gasp as her eyes snapped open. The touch on her hair was gone, and Lezard was sitting at the far edge of the bed. Watching her with an avid expression, and no sign that he had been beside her. But Lenneth knew she hadn't imagined those caressing fingers, and the fact that her hair was once again unbound from it's braid was proof that Lezard had once again taken certain liberties with her while she slept.

She was troubled by more than just the touch, Lenneth not remembering when or why she had gone to sleep. There was a sinking certainty that Lezard was once again responsible for that sudden sleep, though she couldn't understand why. What reason did it serve to keep putting her to sleep? What was he doing when she was passed out, asides from touching her hair? Uneasy, she frowned at him, Lezard staring unblinking back at her.

"I wish you wouldn't do that." She finally grumbled at him. The words encompassed so many things, the touch, the forced sleep, even the obsessive staring.

Lezard slowly blinked, seeming to need that action to shake off the entranced way he had been looking at her. "I like looking at you." He didn't quite smile, calm where she was upset.

Uneasy, she knew he couldn't possible be satisfied for much longer with just looking at her. Especially given the fact he had just been touching her. How long before this need of his, this infatuation, had him progressing things further? The worry drew her brow together, Lenneth frowning harder. "You cannot possible be...content with just that."

"For now? It is more than enough."

For now was the awful truth, the words a potent reminder that eventually he would want-demand more. Would she even be ready then? Would sleeping with Lezard become even just a tinier bit more acceptable to Lenneth?

"I don't see how." She grumbled out loud. It was a reply both to Lezard and to her own thoughts, her anger warring with her upset. The unease spread through her, becoming a solid knot in her belly. That sick feeling she wasn't accustomed to, Lenneth forgetting her mission enough to glare at Lezard. These ill feelings, they were all his fault, Lenneth not used to experiencing much of any emotion.

"When you have waited as long as I have, you can afford to be patient just a little longer." Lezard explained. His smile was true this time, his eyes lit up with it. "Especially when I have that which I have desired for so long, with me now."

She gave him a sour look then. "I am not here by choice." Lenneth reminded him. "And my being here guarantees you nothing where your desires are concerned."

"Maybe not." A surprising agreement from him. "But we have all of eternity now..."

She let out a bitter half laugh. "Don't tell me you think to wait me out THAT long." Lezard nodded, an absolutely serious look on his face. "You have desires and needs... they will demand to be fulfilled."

"And what of your desires?" Lezard asked. "Your needs?"

"I have only one desire..." It wasn't entirely true what she was saying, but it was simpler to limit herself to just the one. "To get away from you."

He made a tsking sound then. "You wound me, Lenneth." But he didn't look hurt, so much as amused. He had expected such an answer, Lenneth's reluctance exactly what Lezard had anticipated at this stage. "And it's a foolish desire."

"Foolish?" She sputtered out in indignation.

"You wish for that which is unobtainable. For I will never give you up." Almost absentmindedly, his fingers caressed the faint scar on his palm, reminding her of the blood bond they now shared.

"I suppose now you will tell me it is just as foolish to spend time fighting you? Hating you?" Lenneth demanded.

"I don't think you hate me." Before she could counter with an angry response, Lezard continued. "And pretending otherwise, as with the fighting, is ultimately a futile and tiring experience. Not that I expect you to just stop struggling against me." His smile was back, Lezard looking as though he actually savored her defiance. "You are a proud woman, strong and determined. You'd never just give in, you'll want to make me earn my place at your side. You'll want me to prove myself worthy of you."

"Where do these notions come from?" Lenneth let out a derisive snort. "As if you could ever be worthy of a Goddess!" His smile only brightened further, Lezard immensely pleased by her response. "What?" Lenneth demanded gruffly. "Why do you look at me in that way?"

"You're everything I expected." Was Lezard's answer. "The contest of wills between us will be sweet indeed."

"You can't actually enjoy my resistance!" Lenneth exclaimed, exasperated. She would turn only more so at his nod.

"I do, to a point. There's a fire in you, that's never more apparent than when you are ready to fight. Be it against me, or some other opponent. No weak willed woman are you, you burn with passions yet untapped."

"If you seek to toy with me, you will be the one who ends up burnt." Lenneth warned him.

"In time you will see, will understand I want so much more from you than just someone to play with." Lezard told her. "Of all the women in Creation, you are the only one. The only one for me, my one equal, my one love. You alone are fit to share my throne, to help me fulfill the potential of this world I have created. Lenneth, we can and will be happy together."

It was no easier to hear him speak of loving her now, then it had been the last time. Lenneth shook her head no, as though denying his words. Lezard was not affronted, only smiling sadly at her. "Most women would be flattered by what I offer you..."

"I am not like most women..." A pause. "Or Goddesses."

"How well I know." Lezard answered. "It leaves me guessing...I'm never sure what exactly I can do to please you."

"Not that that deters you." Lenneth pointed out, her tone sardonic.

"I enjoy the challenge of you." Lezard grinned. "Just as I am sure I will figure out what needs of yours I must fulfill..."

"You would be wasting your time. I have no needs." Lenneth told him.

Lezard did one of those slow blinks before answering. "No needs? Surely you jest!"

"I do not." Lenneth said in a firm tone. "I am a Valkyrie first and foremost. A Death Goddess. I see to the souls of the fallen, determining which are worthy enough to prepare them for their roles as the Gods' einherjar. I have no other purpose for existing."

"You're wrong about that!" Lezard exclaimed, voice as passionate as his expression. "You are meant for a greatness that extends far beyond being the tool of a dead God!"

"Odin would have hardly agreed with you." Lenneth retorted. "He gave me and my sisters our purpose upon our creation. We were never meant to be anything more than his and his brethren's servants."

"That is just one more wrong Odin has done you!" Lezard's protest had Lenneth raising her eyebrows.

"Oh? And just what has he done then?"

"Aside from his crimes against Midgard, and his dogged pursuit of your sister, Silmeria?" Lezard appeared nervous now, fingers moving to adjust the glasses on his face. "He's kept you from your sisters for one." Lenneth had no quick retort for that, never having understood the reason behind Odin's decree about the three Valkyries. "He's oppressed all three of you, made you think you were something less than the other divine you served. Free will and thought? Those were quick to be punished if Silmeria's case was anything to judge by."

"Silmeria was tainted by her association with the undead." Lenneth retorted. "Anything she said and did looked upon with suspicion."

"Tainted, or freed from Odin's leash?" Lezard demanded. "Silmeria was able to step back and look at what Odin was doing, see how he was treating the realms and the beings who populated them. And what she saw, she could neither like nor tolerate. And that is partly why she was punished! For daring to find her own voice and speak out against a tyrant!"

Lenneth was silent, wondering if what Lezard said was true. Would Odin have really punished her sister, for speaking up? For embracing a view that wasn't Odin's own? She was once again left with questions, not able to trust Lezard's view, and unable to get the truth out of Freya. "It's a moot point." She finally said out loud. "It's not as though I can speak with Silmeria and get her side of the story."

Fiddling with his glasses once more, Lezard's look became evasive. Nor did he have a retort ready for her, Lezard letting Lenneth's comment pass without reply. She didn't know what to make of this, of both the look and his sudden silence. Unhappy, and more than a little confused, Lenneth proceeded to get off the bed. This time she'd use the floating platforms that made up the elevated bed's staircase. A few seconds later, Lezard would follow her down, coming close to her once more. Close enough that they touched when Lenneth turned to face him, the front of her chest brushing against his. Lenneth would immediately step back, not liking that accidental touch or the electricity that sparked from it.

"Are you hungry Lenneth?" Lezard asked, expression and tone not betraying what he thought of that touch and her reaction to it.

Flesh seeming to break out in goose bumps, Lenneth gave a slow nod. It had been a small eternity since she had last eaten, the days following her awakening and subsequent marriage to Lezard passing by with little food or drink to be had. Lenneth wasn't yet starving, but thought she might retain her wits better about her if she had a hot meal.

Lezard seemed pleased by her nod, breaking out into a smile. "Good. I shall prepare something for us at once."

"Prepare..." He gestured for her to follow him out of the room. "You intend to use your powers for this?" She was surprised by the chuckle he let out, Lezard shaking his head no.

"No...In this, I prefer to stick to more mundane means."

"You cook...?" Lenneth asked, wondering if she should be wary of any meal he might make. Whatever the means, be it by his hands, or his powers, she was in doubt of it's taste.

"A little." Lezard answered, leading her into a side room that had been set up to be a small kitchen. "Nothing fancy though. I've always gotten by on just the basics where food was concerned."

She wasn't often curious, but this man who doubled as her husband and the murderer of Odin, was almost a complete mystery to her. Lenneth thought it might serve her well to learn more about him, never dreaming that to talk and share experiences might foster a deeper connection between them. "You could not afford servants to cook for you?" Lenneth asked out loud. She would take a seat at the counter, watching as Lezard moved about the kitchen cabinets.

"It's not that I couldn't afford to hire help..." Lezard was rummaging about one of the bottom cabinets. "I simply didn't have the patience to deal with others. Not to mention, I valued my privacy...I wanted no one to intrude upon that once I was free to make my own decisions." He was taking things out, various red and green vegetables the predominate choice of food.

Lenneth considered what he had said. "You value freedom."

"Mine at least..." He agreed.

"And yet it bothered you, what you say Odin was doing to the Valkyries if I am judging what you say about Silmeria to be correct."

"Ah, that." He had set the vegetables down on the counter, a knife now in his hand. "It didn't take much effort to see the wrongs Odin was committing. And unlike Freya and the Aesir, I do not accept such abuse as an absolute part of his rule. Odin was a tyrant, greedy and power hungry. I can admire Silmeria for her struggles to be free of him..."

"You admire Silmeria, yet strive to take away MY own freedom..." Lenneth pointed out, unhappiness in her voice. She didn't jump when he viciously began cutting up a long in length vegetable.

"You're wrong. It's not your freedom I've taken..." Lezard insisted, though he wasn't looking at her. "If anything, I am giving you more freedoms than you've ever been allowed under Odin's rule..." Lenneth made a rude sound, a disbelieving snort in response. "It's true!" Lezard snapped, his voice holding as much sharpness as that knife's edge. "What kind of life did you have under Odin? You spent eternity sleeping, or culling out the undesirables from the worthy. He had you play lap dog, forbid you any feelings, any true emotions. You've never even lived, your only true experiences those of the humans you trained. What kind of existence is that?"

"You've no right to interfere with my life."

"No right? I love you!" Lezard snapped, turning to glare at her now. She gave one just as fierce, Lenneth hardly ready to back down.

"That's no excuse." She told him. "I was..." She couldn't say happy, for joy had never been a part of her duty. "I was perfectly fine with my existence as it was." Lenneth finally said, after a moment's hesitation. "I had a purpose...I was doing good work..."

"Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?" Lezard demanded. Lenneth opened and closed her mouth, but couldn't form a coherent reply. Her flustered silence seemed to satisfy something in him, Lezard nodding to himself. "Lenneth...until you've had the chance to actually live life...to experience the highs and lows of it...do not discount what I offer you..."

Unsettled, she frowned at him. "I've yet to experience any of the highs you speak of, while in your care..."

"Yes, I realize that." Lezard said. "You've spent much of this time angry and scared..." At her protest, he corrected his words. "Angry and...uneasy. But in time, the anger will lessen, and you will come to realize you have nothing to fear from me."

"And how long will that take?" Lenneth demanded, well aware of the time constraints she faced.

"That I suspect is up to you, and how quickly you can adapt." One last glimpse of his smile, before Lezard returned to cutting up the vegetables.

"I am a Valkyrie who have led countless einherjar into war. Of course I am capable of adapting, and doing so quickly!"

"War is one thing." Lezard countered. "You have to be quick on your feet to survive. But emotions and love is a far trickier opponent...especially to one unfamiliar with the experience of them."

"You know this first hand?" She inquired.

The knife paused mid cut. "I made my own mistakes when love was first new to me." But Lezard would not elaborate on what those mistakes had been. "Those mistakes could have cost me everything...I am fortunate I was able to overcome them, in order to pursue you once more."

"Once more?" She seized on those words. "You somehow...tried to get to me once before?"

"Yes." It was almost curt, that answer. Lezard would walk over to an ice box, and retrieve a cut of meat. It would be cleaned, then fall victim to his knife. "You are my first, my only love...and you are well aware of the lengths I have gone through to get to you..."

"Some of them yes. But I get the feeling you are sharing only half of what you've done." Lenneth told him.

"There is not many who enjoy speaking about their past mistakes." Lezard retorted. "I much prefer to concentrate on my triumphs."

She couldn't enjoy or celebrate those triumphs of his, not when they had led to the murder of her King, and had endangered two realms at least. Nor could she make an attempt at pretending to be happy for him, for what Lezard had done. It made her want to sigh, but she held that sound in. Studying Lezard's profile, as he worked on putting the vegetables and strips of meat into a pan.

"You puzzle me." Lenneth admitted out loud. He made a questioning sound, but his eyes were intent on the meal now cooking in the pan. "I cannot begin to guess at what sort of upbringing you had. You are obviously educated, and well at that, if you were able to find and use the forbidden magics. But..." At her hesitation, Lezard guessed at what she had been about to ask.

"What kind of blaspheming fiend goes against the Gods?" Lenneth nodded in response, and Lezard glanced at her. "I never had much use for the Gods." He said. "And until Silmeria, they never had much use for me." A sardonic twist of his lips. "I was content to be ignored, and to ignore in kind. Before you, before I fell in love, I would have never dreamed of going up against any God, let alone the Creator."

"Love twisted you that much?"

"Love changed me." Lezard corrected. "It empowered me, and moved me to great lengths. Before love, I was never much for religion or worshipping those deities that ruled over us with such an iron fist. I dare say I would have spent out my mortal years a scholar locked in a tower somewhere. It would have been a sad life, and I would never have realized how much so. Lenneth..." He abandoned his position by the pan on the stove, coming towards Lenneth. Reaching for her hand. "I wasn't truly living until I saw you for the first time...YOU gave me my purpose, my faith, my reason for existing."

Almost wide eyed in response, she let him take hold of her hand. They stared at each other, as Lezard caressed fingers over the blood bond's scar on her hand. That touch made the scar tingle with awareness, Lenneth trying not to jerk free of him.

"Such feelings as that which I have for you, CAN'T be wrong." Lezard continued, tone insistent. "I am a complete existence with you in my life..."

Lenneth was troubled. "Your love is surely twisted." Now he was the one to make protesting noises, Lenneth speaking over him. "It's driven you to go on a rampage, to murder a GOD, to alter the fates of so many...It...it's not right what you've done...not right at all..."

"I've overthrown a tyrant." Lezard snapped. "Yes, the fates of many have been altered, but surely for the better!"

"That remains to be seen!" Lenneth said stiffly, jerking her hand free of his grasp. "As long as Midgard and Asgard are in jeopardy...you are no better than how bad you claimed Odin to be!"

He looked wounded at that. "I am nothing like Odin!" Lezard hissed. "That you would even think to compare us..." He seemed to think better of whatever he had been about to say, Lezard shaking his head no. "You don't yet understand me or my feelings."

"Do you think with that understanding, everything will suddenly become right between us?" demanded Lenneth. She almost called him a fool then, but wisely bit her tongue instead.

"I am not that naive." Lezard told her. "It will take time and effort on both our parts. It won't be an easy path to navigate either. But ultimately, the rewards outweigh any unpleasantness we may experience."

She said nothing to that, wondering about the rewards he alluded to. It seemed a different kind of madness to her, to go through so much trouble on the off chance he could win her to his suit. Especially after what he had done, what his actions continued to do, millions of beings in danger. She was almost disdainful then, inwardly sneering at the idea of going to such lengths just to bed a woman. Especially one who was bound to despise him for the things he had done.

"Lenneth." Lezard had not returned to the stove, staring at her from across the countertop. "Will you try with me? Will you make the effort our relationship needs?"

She wanted to immediately hiss out a no, Lenneth staring back at him. But she was ever aware of what rode on her shoulders, the burdens she carried. Freya's voice seemed to whisper in her ear, Lenneth knowing she must appear to be at least somewhat amenable to his pleas. It took great effort on her part not to sigh, Lenneth allowing a grudging nod.

"All right." She said, and was rewarded with a dazzling smile from Lezard. He didn't ask for her reasons why, Lezard seeming both happy and relieved in the moment.

Lenneth would raise her hand, staring down at the scar. It was an ever present reminder of the bond forced on them both, linking them together for good and for bad. She wouldn't attempt to touch it, but even then it seemed to tingle. As though the blood bond itself was disapproving of the deceptions she attempted to practice. The uneasy part of her was just as disapproving, Lenneth holding no love for deceit and manipulations. Freya would surely be disappointed, the Goddess having expected Lenneth to make quick progress with her assigned task. But Lenneth was still unsure if she could do all that Freya asked, the Goddess glancing up from her hand to stare at Lezard's profile. Her own expression was surely worried, Lenneth wondering for the thousandth time what she was going to do exactly.

Wow...I did not expect to have fourteen done this soon...especially with my conversation problem! I like what I wrote, even if the talk keeps coming back to Odin. (And Silmeria too...:O) I'm hoping next chapter's conversations can have less Odin talk but don't know for sure. Still struggling with thinking up things for them to talk about. X_X

Also, there's a reason why Lezard keeps putting Lenneth to sleep every once in a while. (This is the second time.) But I think I can't reveal why until I do a chapter from his POV while she's asleep. And since she just woke up, I don't want to put her back to sleep. But maybe in a chapter or two...or three...the truth can be revealed, and it doesn't have to do with Lezard wanting to perv out on her! XD

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Ruvian, thanks but it's not short, and certainly not really short. OSVP is special and gets bigger than normal sized chapters, but if you compare the chapter to the rest of the Warbride or other VP stories of mine, it fits in at the normal length. I'd hardly call 3000 something words really short! XD

I don't like Lucian much either...as for Lezard, well in the second game if you play the seraphic gate, and get all the oracles...one of them says something about how Lezard would still have been evil even if Odin had not existed. :( But I boo hiss that thought! But I hope that if they make another VP game, Lezard will be in it. I'd love for them to show his past, and how he first saw Lenneth since the games never covered that bit. The manga came up with a way he saw, but I don't consider that cannon like I would the video games. XD

BTW, does the name Ruvian have any special meaning? I'm just curious!


	15. Chapter 15

Delicious aromas had started to fill the kitchen, a result of Lezard's efforts with the breakfast he was making. Sausage and bacon sizzled on the pan, the meats having browned to perfection. Vegetables flavored the meat, tiny strips of peppers and carrots mixed in with various seasonings. On another pan, egg omelets cooked, and he had bread warming in the oven.

It was a simple meal, the kind eaten in numerous households for decades. A kind he himself had enjoyed often enough. And yet Lezard felt the tiniest bit of nervous, knowing he wasn't cooking just to please himself. A Goddess waited on this meal. A woman he loved above all else, and for who he wanted to do everything he could to impress and please her. Was it any wonder that his hands shook with the slightest of trembles, Lezard striving for perfection in the meal that he was making?

It was almost ready too. He only had to really watch to make sure none of the meal overcooked and burned. The food became his focus, though it was difficult not to be aware of Lenneth. She was watching him, her eyes catching every action of his in the moment. He might almost be flattered to be the focus of her study, Lezard occasionally sending reassuring smiles her way. Speaking on how the food was almost ready. Lenneth didn't say much of anything back, but he could sense her doubts. She surely didn't expect much of the meal he was making, the Goddess probably used to far grander feasts up in the heavens. He didn't hope to prove as good a cook as those employed by the Gods, but Lezard did hope to prove at least somewhat satisfactory.

Cooking aside, Lezard wanted to be more than just satisfactory to Lenneth. He wanted to please her, to impress upon her the lengths he was willing to go to, the things he would do for her. He wanted her to not only understand the love that he felt, but for Lenneth to grow to return it. But that would take time, a million more quiet moments like this one passing, before Lenneth was ever any closer to loving him. He could only be patient, and wait out her resistance.

He had endless experience with waiting. With being patient. Had he not waited years for Lenneth? Had he not endured as plan after plan developed and failed? It had taken time, time to learn the forbidden magics. Just as it had taken time to learn how to craft and bring to life beings inside the homunculus' vessels. It had even taken time after Lenneth had become the Creator, two decades passing before Lezard realized he was NEVER going to have her in the present time. She had been too locked on to that human, too enamored with that Lucian. Lezard had waited to the point he had grown tired and impatient, and still Lenneth had not tired of the warrior. He simply didn't understand the appeal of that boy, didn't see how he could have captured the Goddess' heart so easily and for so long.

Lucian didn't deserve Lenneth. Of that Lezard was sure. What had that foolish boy done, save to help start off Ragnarok, and imperil Lenneth's soul? So what if one of the Goddess' mortal hosts had been the boy's love. One mortal life meant nothing, when the Goddess was eternal, her sleep encompassing hundreds of human souls that neither defined nor drove her. But somehow, Lenneth of the future had allowed Lucian to talk her into being the human for him. Into accepting the memories of a fourteen year old as the absolute truth of who she was.

It made Lezard sneer, though he hid that expression from the Lenneth of his present. He thought what Lucian had done to Lenneth was WRONG. A Goddess who had lived for several millennia, accepting fourteen miserable years as the only ones that truly counted? It was disgusting, and stupid, and he could not stand it.

But he hadn't been able to do anything about it. Nor had he been able to gain Lenneth's attention for himself, not even a thank you being issued his way. For all he had done, for the body he had crafted that had saved her soul from destruction and had allowed her to evolve into a new kind of Goddess, no gratitude had been expressed. Nor had she been appreciative that he had thrown off his own body, killing it to become a soul capable of following Lenneth anywhere.

He had spent two decades pining. Watching her interact with Lucian and others. He was the only being that had escaped being remade by Lenneth, the only being who loved her for her, and not because she was the Creator. It HURT that she had ignored him, that he had been rejected so thoroughly. He hadn't been able to do a damn thing to change that, not even the homunculus he had crafted would have been able to contain the Creator Lenneth now was.

Of course by then, he had realized how wrong it would have been to make of Lenneth a human. How crippling the human senses would seem to one who had been divine. It would have made Lenneth miserable to be trapped in mortal flesh, slowly feeling the press of time decaying and corrupting her body. He could no longer in good conscience do that to her.

That had been one of the mistakes he had alluded to, to the Lenneth of his present. When he had been fresh in the grip of love, so new and inexperienced to the passions burning with him, he had been foolish. Thinking to cage a Goddess into a form he could control, a form he could touch and love and share a life with. Even if Lenneth could have somehow accepted life as a mortal, she would never have forgiven him for the things he had done to make a vessel for her soul. The elves and humans he had killed, countless lives sacrificed as he practiced and perfected the art of making homunculi.

In the end, he had once again used those same skills, crafting yet another body. Putting as much care and detail into it as he had done for the bodies he had made for Lenneth. But it was no vessel for a Goddess he had created, no tribute to divine perfection. Instead it had been a man, a mirror image that was an exact replica of himself down to the finest details. Lezard had after all needed a body in order to accomplish his latest scheme.

After two decades as nothing more than a soul, it had been strange to be made solid flesh once more. His senses as a soul had been expanded, the body now cutting him off from those feelings, leaving Lezard to feel half blind and suffocating inside that prison of flesh. But he would adapt, though it took several days. Days in which he needed to relearn how to do the simplest things, from walking instead of floating, to remembering to eat and drink at regular intervals.

Little by little he built his strength up, gaining confidence in his new body. And with that confidence came impatience, Lezard eager to set off on the start of his journey. To leave behind this unsatisfactory world, where Lenneth ignored him, and loved another.

As much as it wounded his ego to be so ignored, there was advantages. Lenneth had never bothered to monitor Lezard's actions, and thus she was unsuspecting as to what the mage's new intent was. Lezard wondered if the havoc he had caused to the timeline was even enough to gain Lenneth of the future's attention. Probably not, he thought, or else she would have already appeared by now.

Lezard had given up on the Lenneth of the future. That was an avenue long closed off to him. But the past? Now the past had held untold possibilities. It was those limitless possibilities that had motivated Lezard to travel into the past, to pick the time of Silmeria's rebellion as the catalyst that would help Lezard ascend to Godhood. It had taken months to get this far, but the payoffs had been grand. He had Odin's power, divinity, and Lenneth as his rewards.

Everything was falling into place. And that brought a satisfied light into his eyes. The future was changing, by Lezard's own commands. He all but smirked as he finished stirring the contents of the meat pan, the food finally ready to be eaten.

Letting the flames die down, Lezard removed the pans from the stove top, and took the bread loaves out of the oven. He'd lay out the food on two plates, and then carry them over to the table. Lenneth would let her gaze rake over the meal presented before her, and then she'd go back to studying his expression.

"You are...happy?" She sounded as though she couldn't imagine why that would be, or where that happiness would come from. Lezard would smile even broader, far too tempted to lean in and brush a kiss over her lips. But he controlled himself, taking a seat across from her at the counter.

"Good food, and good company to share it with, of course I would be happy." Lenneth frowned in response, making no move towards her plate. "Please..." He urged her. "A meal such as this is best eaten while it's still warm."

Almost grudgingly, she glanced down at the plate. Lezard felt the return of his nervous feeling, the man almost holding his breath as he waited for Lenneth to take a bite. It would be a long wait, the Goddess fussing over her meal. Poking at the omelet with her fork, and slicing into smaller pieces the sausage. That sausage would end up speared on her fork, Lenneth giving it a suspicious look before at last biting into it. Her eyes would reveal her surprise, Lenneth chewing, then swallowing before speaking.

"It's good!"

He almost laughed then, both relieved and amused by her shock. "I'm glad it meets with your approval."

She took another bite of the sausage, as though needing to test it's taste before answering. "It's much better than I expected..." Now her fork gathered up some of the omelet, Lenneth tasting that as well.

Lezard watched her as she ate, his own meal untouched. He liked the way she licked her lips after every bite, as though trying to catch any stray juice from the sausage. She was the picture of divine grace, fingers elegant as they worked the knife and fork into the meal. Not a single crumb fell, Lenneth a neat and tidy eater. Nor did the honey she dipped the bread into, spill or drip down her front.

Lezard could have sat there for hours, watching Lenneth eat and enjoy the meal he had made. And all because he LIKED watching her. And it was not limited to eating alone. He had in fact spent hours just staring at her while she slept, memorizing every facet of her appearance. From her lightly tanned skin, to the way her dark lashes rested on her cheeks, to the rise and fall of her breasts as she breathed.

Watching Lenneth, it made him fill with a serenity that had long eluded him. Lezard finally felt at peace, content and thinking all was right in the world. The simple fact was just looking at Lenneth satisfied some need in him. It was a need that was different from the ones that told him to touch her, kiss her, hold her. He wasn't getting to do much of that, and it was maddening in a different way. It's why he strove to take whatever he could from her, whatever she would allow until the time came that Lenneth finally stopped resisting him completely. That moment would be sweet indeed, decades of longing, of desiring, finally culminating in triumph.

But until that moment came, until Lenneth was ready to accept him for all he was, and all he had done, Lezard had to be patient. He thought himself good at that, but with Lenneth so close, he was sorely tested.

She wasn't unaware of how he was looking at her. The faintest of blushes was starting to color her cheeks, Lenneth giving a pointed look at his untouched plate. She was uncomfortable with how he looked at her. It made Lezard wonder what sort of hungry expression he wore in the moment, the man finally deigning to break his own fast. Even as he began to eat, he couldn't stop looking at her, the taste of the meal going unnoticed to Lezard. The meal simply couldn't compare to the experience of Lenneth, the woman a feast for the eyes.

Still wearing that uncomfortable look, Lenneth began to speak. "You cook well, and we already know your accomplishments as a mage. It is an odd mix...especially when one considers the luxurious upbringing one who can afford a mage's education must have."

He tried not to grin, delighted at her none too subtle prying. Any interest Lenneth showed in him was welcome, her curiosity down right encouraging. "Yes, I came from a well to do family." He admitted. "Very well to do. Though I doubt you are familiar with the Valeth family?"

"I must admit to not knowing much about the various families that hold wealth and power in Midgard." Lenneth told him. "Often times, the rich and powerful are not the ones who go to fight in battle." She looked almost disapproving then. "It is they who start the wars, that others die in."

"I can't say the Valeth family hasn't had it's hand in war and political intrigue." Lezard acknowledged. "But the affairs on Midgard haven't often held my interest." Another small smile. "I was content to seclude myself, to surround myself with books rather than people. Until recently, I hadn't a vested interest in what Midgard or Asgard did..."

"And your family allowed this?" inquired Lenneth.

"They couldn't have stopped me." Lezard answered. "Oh, they were very disappointed. I dare say we had quite the falling out. But then, I've always been the black sheep of the family."

She was quiet a moment, just processing what he had said. "You do not wish to reconcile with them?"

"There's not much point to it." Lezard told her. "My parents have long since been dead." He chuckled then. "My father would be furious at the mere thought of the blaspheming I have done, confronting Odin, killing him. My mother if she had lived, would have surely died from shock over the idea of her son becoming a God."

"What about the rest of your family?" Lenneth asked. "Your brothers, your sisters?"

"I was an only child." Lezard said simply, no regret in his voice or envy for those who had had a big family. "And the Valeths that remain are scattered far and wide across Midgard." That was true to, even of this time. The Valeth family had existed for hundreds of years, a group of aristocrats who had long had their hands dirty with politics and wars. Even now, in Midgard's past, there existed men and women who would one day take on the prestigious Valeth name.

He wasn't overly concerned with these men and women. As inheritor of Odin's power, he had become a God. The Creator himself. It would be difficult though not impossible, to cause a time paradox but as Lezard understood it, the Gods were free from the side effects and backlashes that came with playing with the timeline. He was safe as could be, time diverging to form a new reality.

"And you?" Lenneth's voice drew him back into the conversation. "You hail from where originally?"

"Ah, it matters little." Lezard was evasive now, the question perhaps more difficult than Lenneth could realize. Flenceburg as it was in the future, simply didn't exist in the same way here and now. It didn't even have a proper name, being little more than a collection of houses and stores cluttered around a single main street. Hard to believe that from such humble beginnings, an impressive city of academics and magic would emerge.

Lenneth had frowned, not liking the way Lezard had tried to dismiss her question. He hastened to appease her, offering up some bit of knowledge that he could share without consequence. "I most recently made my home in Dipan. In the months leading up to it's fall, I apprenticed under the King's three wise men."

"Apprenticed?" Lenneth arched a brow at that. "Hard to imagine one who has the power to take down Odin needing to apprentice under anyone, especially so recently."

"Ah." Another smile from him. "It was merely a way to ingratiate myself into the courts. Truth is the wise men could teach me nothing I did not already know..." He was close to boasting, unable to resist trying to impress her. "If I had shown my true power and abilities, I would have been picked to replace Barbarossa's three wise men."

"But you had other plans than being some King's pet magician." Lenneth noted, hardly looking pleased at the thought.

"Indeed." Nodded Lezard. The whole point of ingratiating himself into King Barbarossa's court, and becoming the wise men's apprentice had merely been a setup. A means to have himself in prime position to come to Princess Alicia's aid without too much suspicion cast upon him by Silmeria. It had been boring, the months spent waiting, though he could not say it had been a waste of his time. Not when his ambitions had been realized, nearly all of his desires fulfilled now. Only the love of Lenneth still eluded him, but that Lezard had high hopes for. Especially when the goddess was sitting across from him, holding a civil conversation that had managed to avoid talk of Odin. For the most part at least.

"Could you not have been satisfied with your existence as it was?" Lenneth demanded. "Did you really have to go and kill my King?"

He held her gaze in a level stare, letting some of the longing he had for her, heat his expression. Lenneth didn't blush this time, instead narrowing her gaze back at him in defiance. He wanted to smirk then, but it would have ruined the covetous expression he now wore. "How can you ask me that, knowing how I feel about you?"

"I know nothing of the sort." Lenneth said haughty.

"Trying to deny my love won't change anything." Lezard cautioned her.

"It's NOT love." She insisted, and he couldn't stop himself from challenging her.

"Oh really? If I did not love you, do you think I would have gone to all this trouble? That I would not hold back on my desires, and not just used you to sate them?" He gave her an unpleasant smile. "Lenneth, if I did not love you with ever fiber of my existence, I would not have insisted on our marriage. I would have simply taken you to bed, and had you as many times as it took to satisfy my lusts."

She blanched in response to that idea, but didn't back down. "You may be merely toying with me."

"What would be the point of that?" Lezard asked. "It would serve nothing save to frustrate."

"I don't claim to understand the minds of men that well when it comes to certain cruelties." Lenneth answered. "But I dare say some enjoy dragging out the chase, in order to heighten the fear of their prey."

"Then those men are needlessly cruel." Lezard answered. "And that is NOT what I am doing." She still fixed him with a disbelieving look, Lezard trying not to sigh in response to that stubborn show. It was terrible that she continued to be suspicious of him, that Lenneth continued to fear what she assumed was his true intentions towards her. The trust between them wasn't yet there, Lezard understanding he could only be patient and endure as he battled with Lenneth about her views of him.

"I have been...respectful to you, have I not?" Lezard asked, hoping to persuade her another way. "I've treated you with kindness and care..."

"At times yes." Lenneth grudgingly agreed. "Though you've taken certain liberties with me as well." Her gaze grew hot in anger, narrowing into a glare. "That kiss you forced upon me in front of the Gods comes to mind. As does the fact you keep putting me to sleep!"

He couldn't make any real excuses about either one, Lezard remembering how eager he had been to kiss her. How he had anticipated that moment for so long. He hadn't been able to control himself then, forcing a deeper kiss than had been proper on his new bride. Nor could he explain about the sleep he forced onto her, Lezard needing that time to do more than just gaze upon Lenneth's slumbering beauty.

"I cannot truly say I am sorry for the kiss." Lezard told her. "But I do regret the way I had at you, and in so public a venue. It was a momentary slip of judgment, and for any embarrassment and discomfort I caused you, for that I am sorry."

Lenneth was hardly mollified by that. "It doesn't excuse you..."

"I know."

She sighed at that. "I hate this. I hate the uncertainties this whole situation has caused me. Nor do I like the burdens this marriage has placed upon me."

He lifted a brow at that, a questioning look in his eyes. "I've placed no burdens on you!" Lezard protested.

"Haven't you?" She demanded. "The continued well being of the Aesir comes to mind as the price for my agreeing to marry you!"

One more thing he couldn't truly deny, Lezard shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "That was the arrangement I made with Freya and the other Gods, yes..."

"I am of course gladdened if by my own hand I could somehow save them..." Lenneth told him. "But I am a WARRIOR not some homemaker! I exist for the souls of the fallen, to lead them into the Gods' wars. I was never meant for love, for a life beyond the battlefield."

"That you think that, that you deny yourself any experience that doesn't involve your blade, shows how thoroughly Odin twisted your thoughts to match his!" Lezard glowered, but it was not directed at Lenneth. "You deserve a chance for a real life, Lenneth. A chance to live and experience more, and be happy. And by Creation, I mean to give that to you!"

She stared at him, expression unreadable where his was passionate and partly angry. "What kind of life can I, can WE have?" She asked, and continued before he could speak. "We are here, in a world of your creation! A world that is EMPTY of everything save for us and your guardian monsters. How can that be an experience worth having? There's nothing truly here!"

"But there will be..." Lezard countered. "Together, you and I will see to it. I promise you!" He reached across the counter, to take hold of her hands. "Lenneth, you alone will help me to make this a world worth living in...a world that is fit for a woman of your caliber."

"And what of the other world?" Lenneth asked. "Will you just abandon it for this one?"

"No, of course not. Creation has just expanded to encompass both worlds...Together we will do what is right for all the realms, both in this world and in the other." He gave her a smile, hoping to somehow entice her into agreeing. She wouldn't smile back, but Lenneth would nod, reluctantly acquiescing to the idea of caring for both worlds together with Lezard. He felt happy at that seeming agreement, unable to resist lifting her right hand to brush kisses over her knuckles. She made a protest at that, but Lezard felt too happy to care. Working with Lenneth to oversee the two worlds brought them one step closer to becoming something more than just adversaries. And that was something he felt sure he could build upon, improving their relationship together. Lenneth's love was not yet in reach, but the hope of it was. And that was something Lezard grasped at as surely as he did her hand.

Oh God...another chapter that did not want to end. X_X I feel iffy about how I ended the chapter. I like the last paragraph, I just don't feel confidant that it was a good ending lines to have it end on. X_X As much as I struggle for their conversations, boy when they start talking, they seem to not want to shut up for me! XD

To Be Continued...

Michelle 


	16. Chapter 16

Breakfast had passed without noteworthy incident, the meal eaten and enjoyed, their conversation bordering on pleasant. The fact that hostilities had been limited to a few terse words, and challenging stares made the meal a success in Lezard's eyes. He might even consider it proof that Lenneth was warming up to him, the progress slow but more advanced than he had truthfully anticipated for this early a stage in their marriage. The fact that they had been able to converse without shouting, without Lenneth using her fork to stab him, had Lezard immensely pleased. Hope not only blossomed in his chest, it swelled, Lezard thinking the future that he wanted was ever closer to being obtained.

He couldn't stop smiling around her, his eyes reflecting the pleasure he had found within her. Lenneth didn't return that happy expression, the Goddess more sullen than anything. She surely misread his joy as an expression of gloating, but that was not his intention. Nor could he dial down the warm feelings within him, the happy satisfaction he expressed every time he looked Lenneth's way. Which was often, Lezard hard pressed NOT to look at his love.

It was a covetous expression, his gaze hungry and hot. Watching her as she walked besides him, Lenneth far more interesting than any of the scenery around him. Even if this had been a landscape Lezard had not crafted with his own powers, he wouldn't have cared to look around. To Lezard, nothing and no one was as engaging, as fascinating, as sublime a beauty as his Goddess was.

He was almost unaware of anything else, studying her expression, the way her unbound hair continued to fall forward to caress over her front. He liked the lines of her body revealed to him by the form fitting silk of her dress, her generous curves seeming to strain the fabric tight in an attempt to stay concealed. If he could, Lezard would fall back several steps behind her. All in order to admire the view of her round bottom.

Whether she was coming towards him, or walking away, Lenneth was a wondrous sight to behold. To the point he was distracted, the low hanging branch of a tree nearly whacking him in the face. At the last possible second he went intangible, the branch passing harmlessly through his form. Lezard gave Lenneth a sheepish expression, caught red handed in his blatant admiration of her. She fixed him with an annoyed look, but was otherwise without comment about his behavior. But Lezard could feel the way she tensed, the displeased energy that seemed to coil around her. As comfortable as their breakfast had been, Lenneth was not yet ready to be so appreciated.

But it was too much to ask of him. To not only refrain from touching and kissing her, but to have to deny his eyes the sight of her beauty? Lezard couldn't, wouldn't turn his gaze away, his greedy eyes drinking in everything about her. Her every movement, her every breath. Even those expressive eyes of her, that glinted with affronted anger in the moment.

Lezard could only hope he wasn't looking too much like a hungry wolf, Lenneth far too uneasy around him without blatant sexual need being involved. It was that unease that made his Goddess reluctant to return to their bed chamber, as though Lenneth did not trust Lezard enough to be alone with her in such a room. Especially for any long length of time!

It was an unspoken insult, the Goddess not trusting him to behave. Putting little confidence in his ability to control himself around her. Lenneth didn't realize just how great Lezard's control truly was, the man making the effort to hold back on so many of his desires where his Goddess was concerned. He wasn't perfect at it though, unable to resist touching her hair, or pressing kisses onto her hands at the first opportune moment. But considering how much Lezard loved and wanted Lenneth? He was downright saintly!

But his Goddess seemed determined to condemn him for every look, every stolen touch and desire he harbored in his heart. She couldn't truly know his thoughts, and yet Lenneth was still so disapproving. Lezard was nothing more than a sinner in her eyes, Lenneth not ready to forgive him for the crimes he had committed against her King. She still judged him, still found him unworthy. He was all right with that, Lezard accepting he still had quite a ways to go before he could earn her approval and more importantly her love.

For now he walked and talked with her, Lezard hardly one to insist on remaining where Lenneth was at her most uncomfortable. If a change in scenery was what was needed, he quickly agreed, ready to adapt himself to her needs. Even the needs Lenneth did not realize she had, the Goddess so quick to insist she desired so little. He would look forward to her discovering her own wants and needs, desires and duties that had nothing to do with the purpose and work Odin had once give Lenneth and her sisters. She needed the freedom to develop herself, and that was exactly the chance Lezard was giving her. He looked forward to seeing the results of Lenneth's self discovery, to see what pleasures she found in life, what desires formed, what she would enjoy doing now that she was no longer at Odin's beck and call.

Or at Lucian's! The warrior hadn't been quite as bad as Odin, but he had allowed Lenneth to fall victim to embracing the memories of some mortal child. Lezard often thought it was those memories that made the Lenneth of the future love Lucian as much as she had. Otherwise, Lezard didn't see anything of worth that would merit a Goddess loving a mortal as lowly as Lucian had been. But he refused to dwell on thoughts of Lucian at the moment, not when he felt in such good spirits, with Lenneth by his side. A Lenneth untainted by Lucian's influence and that mortal child's memories. A Lenneth who held unexplored potential, so many experiences just waiting for her to enjoy.

He wanted those experiences to be with him, to have them share in a million more moments like they had had at breakfast. Moments that would be a million times better than the civility they had maintained at breakfast. Lezard wanted them to be happy together, to have their lives be full of warmth, laughter and love. He also knew not to try and rush her, to let Lenneth go at her own pace. But that was ever difficult, when Lezard yearned for her and her smile with every fiber of his being.

It came down to patience, the ability to wait, and the willingness to make the effort between them. It wasn't always easy, especially when it came to talking to Lenneth. She was, as he had noted, lacking much experience with life. With living it, Lenneth far too used to wars and training einherjar to fight the Gods' battles. It left her with limited range of conversation topics, Lenneth more prone to long silences than offering up much in the way of talking. It put the burden of conversation on Lezard's shoulders alone, the man scrambling to find interesting stories of his life as a mortal to engage and keep Lenneth's interest.

He wasn't exactly practiced at the art of making small talk. Much of his time spent as a mortal, had been devoted to his studies. He had been alone for a good portion of his adult life, his only interactions with his classmates, and a select number of females he had bedded out of sheer necessity, his body making it's needs known. Recluse as he was, Lezard knew how to be charming, how to speak the words needed to gain female admiration. It was that same charm, that had allowed him to ingratiate himself to Silmeria's band of rebels, the group accepting Lezard as one of their own.

But his charm seemed to fail him where Lenneth was concerned. He could not tell if the Goddess was immune to it, or if in his eagerness to win her, he was simply bungling things that badly. It made him nervous, and the conversation difficult. To the point that sometimes all Lezard wanted, was to sit and stare at Lenneth. To have no expectations placed on either one of them, Lezard just watching Lenneth like he did when she was asleep. But he also knew their relationship would never get anywhere, if all they did was sit in silence, staring at each other.

So he talked, Lenneth listening, and responding to the things he said, the questions he might ask. He didn't always manage a continuos chatter, Lezard pausing to gather his thoughts. Part of his difficulty was in choosing what he COULD tell her, Lezard not wanting to reveal much about the fact he came from the future. Hel, he didn't want her to know at all that he came from a different time, Lezard sure Lenneth would hate and hold it against him for tampering with her future. With all their futures, the very nature of the timelines having been warped and manipulated by Lezard's hand. It didn't mean he felt good about lying to Lenneth about something so big, but Lezard would keep much hidden if it meant he stood a chance of winning Lenneth's love this time around.

He couldn't always talk about his own time in the future, Lezard carefully editing the things he did tell her about life in Flenceburg. He knew much of what he said about the city matched up to nothing in Lenneth's memories of Midgard, and often her brow furrowed in response. It was clear she was thinking heavily on just where he had come from, and it bothered her that she could neither place the city, or get it's name from Lezard.

"And this city you came from..." Lenneth was saying now. "It is known for it's magic and academics?" A nod from him had her frowning, her lack of understanding apparent. "And yet it was not the recently fallen kingdom of Dipan..."

"Dipan was of course renowned as a place of magic and learning..." Lezard said. "But it was also a cut throat city, the men and women who were expert at their chosen fields, guarding many of their secrets zealously."

"It was different in the land you studied in?" Lenneth asked.

"Yes. The scholars embraced the idea of sharing knowledge, in nurturing the potential in all their students. Do not get me wrong. There was plenty of competition..." He thought of Mystina now, the one person who had come close to being his rival in Lorenta's class. "But for the most part it was friendly." Lenneth looked disbelieving of that, Lezard chuckling. "There wasn't many that would kill to get ahead of their peers...and those that did do such a deed were quickly expelled and black listed by many in the city."

"You see, Lenneth..." he continued, holding branches at bay so she could duck under them. "The head mistress and the scholars frowned upon cheating, thieving, and murder. They were quick to stamp out such unfavorable practices. But...there were those in the city itself, that admired such ambition."

"Ah...they rewarded them for their misdeeds." Lenneth guessed, a disapproving look on her face.

"Those capable enough at their craft, were quickly given positions to some of the nobility. There are always unscrupulous humans willing to pay for others to do their dirty work for them." Lezard told her. "Try as others did to stamp out such practices, there are others far too eager and demanding for the very thing that poisons and kills some of the best and brightest Midgard has."

"And which are you?" Lenneth asked, then fixed him with a haughty look. "No, I suppose I already know..."

"My hands are not clean, it's true." Lezard said. "I've done things, terrible things in yours and many eyes. I had my own ambitions, though I never had to kill to advance in my classes. I was simply that good with magic..." It was no idle boast either. Lezard had been considered a genius when it came to magic, his talent with spells considered god given. Always at the top of his class, with little effort needed, Lezard had indulged in self study. A self study that had taken him into the perusal of tomes prohibited by the school. Black magic, the use of which had taken away his ability to do the purest of white spells, Lezard diving head first into the world of necromancy.

He had never killed to keep his position at the school. But it was as he had said. His hands weren't clean, Lezard having killed many for his own ambitions. He knew love didn't justify what he had done, the numerous murders he had committed in an attempt to gain his heart's desire. Even now as a God, as the supreme being, he couldn't ever truly make amends for the lives that had been lost. The lives he had sacrificed on the altar to his love, Lenneth.

He couldn't ever get clean of his past crimes. Lezard could only look towards the future, towards making himself worthy of Lenneth now. If that meant embracing the part of Creator, in caring for the beings of the many realms, then he would do it. He'd become the kind of ruler that Odin had never been, a nurturing God, instead of a greedy, uncaring one.

Lezard had never set out to rule over all. His true intent had simply been to make it so that he and Lenneth were on equal footing, Lezard becoming a being that would be worthy of courting Lenneth. But to become the holder of Odin's power, brought with it the responsibility of the realms. He could choose to ignore the running of Creation, and let it fall into further decline like Odin had done with Midgard. But Lenneth would not be happy with a God that devoted himself so completely to her and her alone. She simply favored the mortals far too much to ever tolerate anything truly bad happening to them.

"I've no doubt you are good and talented with your craft." Lenneth was saying. "What you have become is proof enough of your skill." But she wasn't praising him. "To not only find and decipher the ancient and forbidden magics, but to be able to use them effectively?" A shake of her head. "It amazes me that such a mortal was allowed to live long enough to do such a thing."

"Odin had grown lax." Lezard smirked. "He did not pay as strict attention to Midgard as he had once done."

"How fortunate for you." Lenneth said in a dry tone of voice. He could only nod, especially after what had been done to Dipan. That kingdom had dared plot against the Gods, had ambitions to try and create an enclosed world that would be separate from Odin's. That world would have given them independence from the gods, but the research had never been completed, Odin sending his executioner, Lenneth's eldest sister Hrist, to rain down death and devastation on the kingdom and it's people.

He knew a similar fate could have, WOULD have happened to him, if only Odin had been alerted sooner to Lezard's existence. Fortunately for Lezard, he had not, not even suspecting Lezard of anything more than an ally of Silmeria's until it was too late.

This time the smile he gave Lenneth was more gloating than anything, Lezard wanting to laugh over his success. "Odin in effect, dug about his own grave. There were many factors that led to his demise, that allowed me to elevate myself to new power. I would have been a fool not to take it."

"I suppose so." It was a grudging agreement.

"It's amazing though." Lezard continued, drawing them both to a halt with his hand's touch on her arm. "The many differences between Gods and humans."

"The power you mean?"

"Oh more than just the power!" Lezard exclaimed. "My senses are alive like never before. Touch, taste, hearing heightened. Life seems richer now, the colors more vibrant to my eyes."

"Is it really that big a difference?" She asked.

"Oh yes." He breathed out an insistence. "It is extraordinary...humans are far too limited in their perceptions of reality..." The feel of the bare skin of her arm under his hand sent a delighted shiver through him, Lenneth's flesh soft and like satin. Of all the women he had touched in his life, those humans couldn't compare to Lenneth. It was perhaps an unfair comparison, the Goddess made of finer things than that which made up those lesser being's existence. Humans were far too fragile, and quick to die. Their bodies were nothing more than brief containers for their souls. The Gods were beings meant to exist for millennia, for all time if need be. It was no wonder so many of them were pleasing to look at, that even a death Goddess was soft and pleasant to the touch.

To Lezard, Lenneth was all that and more, his Goddess perfect. She could do no true wrong, his Goddess kind and caring in a way her older sister Hrist had never been. Even Silmeria hadn't loved Midgard anywhere as much as his Lenneth did, the youngest Valkyrie far too manipulative of the beings around her. Silmeria Valkyrie had been ready to use just about anyone and anything in her fight against Odin. And not even Lezard completely understood what had driven the youngest Valkyrie.

It didn't really matter, at least to him. Lezard had used Silmeria as much as she had tried to use those who allied with her, and in the end, he had come away the victor. Odin was dead, his power and divinity stripped from his essence. Lezard was thriving, reveling in the benefits that came with that divinity. He was sure he appreciated it more than Odin ever had, Lezard stroking his fingers along the length of Lenneth's arm.

Her skin was surely as sensitive as his now was, Lezard feeling how her skin seemed to prickle in response to his caress. She tried to shrug off his hand, but only found her arm secured by his grip, Lezard drawing her near. Her own gaze narrowed, her blue eyes uneasy and holding a troubled light. He wondered what she thought in the moment, if Lenneth thought he was about to fall on her with rapacious intent.

He wasn't, but he couldn't resist taking the touch further. Just far enough to satisfy the need in him, the hunger that stirred in violent arousal deep inside him. Better to soothe it with slight touches, than to lose control completely, Lezard's gaze becoming heavy lidded and focused on Lenneth's mouth. Her lips were a nice shade of pink, their shape pouty. He wanted again to know what her kiss felt like, to experience the taste and texture of it all.

The hand not gripping her arm, was reaching for her face, Lezard intent on cupping her cheek. She would not lean into his touch, Lenneth staring back at him with a wide eye gaze. She seemed to stop breathing, aware of him and only him in the moment. By the Gods but he wanted to kiss her, and yet he remembered her complaint at breakfast. How annoyed she had been by the kiss he had forced on her at their wedding. Was it worth risking her anger, upsetting her all over again for one sweet moment of contact on her lips? His thumb extended to brush over the swell of her bottom lip. He nearly moaned in delight, his own breathing sounding loud and ragged to his ears. His pulse had increased, and a fine tremor ran through them both.

Though her expression was hardly one of welcome, Lenneth wasn't trying to jerk away, the only fight in her that of her angry gaze. He wasn't so far gone as to not wonder why she was holding herself still for this. Nor did he make any pretense of assuming Lenneth had finally come to accept him and his love. Angry, it was as though she was resigning herself to this moment. Was it for the other Gods? Was she that willing to see to their continued well being that she would endure something she found so distasteful? That question almost had him stepping back, but Lezard wasn't ready to let go of her. He moved his hand, doing the slightest caress of her cheek before sweeping his fingers into her hair. It made him sigh as though it was the first time he had ever touched it, Lenneth's hair feeling like expensive silk.

"I suppose you can't imagine it." His voice came out husky, Lezard running his hand repeatedly over Lenneth's hair in a gentle petting motion. "The differences the limitations of a human's existence. It is very much like a blind man being awakened to sight for the first time, to a deaf man hearing for the first time. Everything is magnified, and it is wonderful, a downright drugging experience."

He couldn't stop touching her hair, using it as a means to distract himself from the need that urged him to crush her to him. Lezard wanted to hold Lenneth, to feel her in

his arms, against his front, even if she should struggle violently. But he had to be satisfied with just the simple touch of her hair, at least for now. It was a lesson in frustrations, his control such that if Lenneth had done something such as nervously lick her lips just then, his restraint would have snapped. He would have kissed her, strongly and soundly, swallowing up any protests she might have made.

Lenneth seemed to read the mood well, her own face paling in response to the look in Lezard's eyes. She kept a wary eye on him, didn't so much as attempt to jerk away from his hand's hold. "Perhaps in time, when you have gotten used to your divinity..." Lenneth began, her voice clear and strong, betraying none of the fright she might be feeling. "You will not find the sensations so overwhelming."

"Yes, I'm sure you're right..." Another sweep of his hand through her hair, Lezard struggling for more control. "In time, these enhanced senses of mine will become the norm." He could only pray that was true, Lezard somehow forcing himself to let go of Lenneth and step away from her. He actually put her behind him, lifting the hand that had touched her arm to his lips. He didn't go so far as to lick his fingers, though he did rub the tips over his lips, imagining he could somehow taste her essence in that manner.

"It just takes time." He said out loud, trying to reassure them both. Until then, until Lezard got the control he so desperately needed, it might be best to avoid touching Lenneth so as to prevent bringing disaster down on them both.

To Be Continued

I know...always complaining about the ending paragraphs. I feel iffy...I like the lines, I just wonder if there was something more I should have put in at the very end to finish on. But other than that. I adore this chapter! I had such a grin on my face right from the start, writing Lezard's thoughts! But next chapter is probably a Lenneth POV. Hope it proves fun to write as well!

Michelle


	17. Chapter 17

Aware of the hard pounding of her heart, Lenneth brought an unsteady hand to her hair. It was a nervous motion she used to pet over it, Lenneth trying to rearrange the loose strands to some semblance of order. It was a distraction technique, and one that was failing, Lenneth pale and trembling from the frightful moment that had just occurred. Her cheek still felt warm from where Lezard had touched her, but the rest of Lenneth was cold, the Goddess filled with dread. And all because Lezard had nearly kissed her, that wolfish, hungry look on his face telling her the man wouldn't have been satisfied to stop at just one kiss.

It was frightening the way Lezard had looked at her, the heat in his eyes a million times worse than was his normal way of staring. Those times she had awakened to find him sitting at the edge of the bed? Those times were nothing compared to the naked desire that had just been on his face. He wanted badly, with a lust that could prove all consuming.

Lenneth still wasn't convinced of the fact that what Lezard had done, had been motivated because of love. She thought it lust, but yet hadn't thought it strong enough to motivate him on it's own. Lenneth had been sure there were other factors, other reasons that had moved Lezard to fight and kill a God. Power was something many craved, and what mortal wouldn't grasp at the chance to extend their own lives?

Now, having seen what might be just a sliver of how badly she was wanted, Lenneth felt unsure. Could Lezard have really gone to such extremes, just to satisfy his own lust for her? It was a thought that left her shaking almost as badly as the encounter had, Lenneth frightened and not liking that one bit. And all because a man who would go to such lengths to possess a woman, was dangerous and insane. Her feeling of being in danger increased, Lenneth wondering how much longer until Lezard grew incapable of tolerating the chaste moments they had been sharing.

She wasn't anywhere ready for him. Barely able to tolerate his touches, and woefully unprepared for anything more than a kiss, Lenneth was at a disadvantage. No one had prepared her for this kind of situation, for just how hard her commanded mission would be. In that moment she felt true anger, the Goddess directing it towards Freya. For the Fertility's Goddess presumption, for her daring to give such an order in the first place. Lenneth wondered if Freya even knew what it would cost her to have to have sex with Lezard, or the kind of mental anguish it was causing her now.

She would not come away from this mission unaffected. Lenneth would bear scars, her soul damaged for what she had had to do. Even if this situation eventually led to Lezard's death, Lenneth would always remember the fear and shame she had carried, the self disgust such an act would cause her. She was this close to thinking what Freya and the other Gods expected of her, downright unforgivable. And yet Lenneth would not abandon them! Odin had ingrained a deep sense of loyalty in her, in all the Valkyries. She could not allow her brethren to be wiped out so long as there was something Lenneth could do to save them.

She really wished that saving could be accomplished through the use of her sword, rather than of her body. Having no true experience with sex and sexuality, it was an untried weapon she wielded. Lenneth had no true idea of how to accomplish a seduction of Lezard, and as of yet, she wasn't anywhere ready to try. That moment where he had almost kissed her proved it, Lenneth remembering how her insides had recoiled in response to the desire in his eyes.

It would take time to get used to the idea of bedding Lezard. To get to the point she could better tolerate his touches and advances. The sad truth was Lenneth didn't know if there was enough time for it, the realms of Asgard and Midgard in jeopardy. Lenneth was in danger too, if one were to judge the look Lezard had just given her. She wasn't sure he truly had the patience to wait out her acceptance of what must be done. And that made her shudder, a long, silent breath expelling out of her.

The man who was the source of many of her problems did not turn at that breath. Instead Lezard stood, his back to her as he tried to compose himself. He had a hand raised to his face, though Lenneth could not actually see what he was doing with it. But the Goddess was sure she wouldn't like whatever it was, having noted it was taking too long to be a simple adjustment of his glasses.

She didn't want to approach him. Nor did she want to return to their living quarters, especially after what had just happened. Lenneth was leery of being in an enclosed space with Lezard, the Goddess not quite trusting in his control. It had come too close to snapping, and she shuddered again to imagine what would have followed the kiss.

Her own heart wasn't calming, still beating in that erratic way. Not used to feeling fright, her fear was fading, pushed back to raw anger. And yet she couldn't truly unleash that anger, Lenneth aware she had to work on appearing to coming closer to accepting her situation. But oh! How badly she wanted to take Lezard to task for what he had done, for what he had made her feel.

She'd settle for a monster as a target, Lenneth wanted to lose herself into the solace of battle. She wanted to see flesh splitting open by her sword's thrust, to feel the blood bathe her as she viciously beat and killed her opponents. She wanted, NEEDED to fight, to exercise the anger she had that had been caused not only by Lezard, but by Freya as well.

Fortunately she knew just where to go, to find a suitable target. Lenneth wouldn't even speak to Lezard, just using her own powers to teleport away from him. She didn't make much effort to suppress her use of ether. With a God of Lezard's power, there was no point. He'd be instantly alerted to her use of her own meager powers, though he might not be able to follow immediately after her. She wasn't sure about that last bit, Lenneth not knowing how much skill Lezard had developed in tracking another God through their use of ether. She didn't much care if he did find her, Lenneth not trying to hide from him. But she had not wanted to have to beg permission to do what she wanted, what she NEEDED in the moment.

Arriving in the snow covered realm that served as entrance to Lezard's world, Lenneth materialized a sword. The wind was as fierce as ever, blowing back her long hair to billow wildly behind her. Her hair wasn't the only thing moving, the long skirt of her dress flapping about her legs. She'd ignore this, using her sword instead to cut open the sides of her dress. A slit on both sides, going up nearly to her hips to encourage better movement and maneuverability for her legs.

The cold couldn't touch her, Lenneth not so as much shivering in response to this frozen world. She kept her impractical slippers on, not wanting to slip on the ice with her bare feet. It would be better if she had her boots and armor, but such was Lenneth's agitation, that she couldn't take the time to materialize such items. Instead, she set about to immediately searching out her prey, Lenneth hunting for signs of any monsters that might be lurking nearby. It would not take long to find them, the creatures spelled to sense the arrival of those who were not their master.

She didn't quite smile when she heard the excited cry of a wyvern, Lenneth gripping her sword. She'd stalk towards the direction the cry came from, all the while knowing the wyvern had already scented her. It too would be hunting, never dreaming that it was flying towards it's death.

They would sight each other at the exact same moment, the wyvern a distant speck that was growing larger as it neared. Planting her feet firmly on the ground, Lenneth began doing a complex series of twirls with her sword. The blade would seem to sing as it sliced effortlessly through the air, and Lenneth's eyes were alight with ruthless anticipation. The wyvern would scream again, a challenge in it's voice. It had recognized the threat she poised it, acknowledging Lenneth as much a predator as itself.

The wyvern wanted Lenneth gone from it's territory, it's scale covered wings pumping furiously as it soared towards her. It kept making angry sounds, furious challenges that would keep many of the other monsters away. Not many would dare go up against a wyvern in full health, the lesser monsters moving to hide or leave the area. Lenneth stood her ground, having fought and killed wyverns before. They were a challenge, but not so much as one she could not handle.

Flying fast, and descending towards her, the wyven opened it's mouth. It's maw was huge, holding many rows of sharp teeth glistening with saliva. It thought to back her off, to maybe even take a bite out of Lenneth. That bite could prove fatal, a wyvern's mouth big enough to remove half a person's body in a single bite. This one in particular was gearing up to take Lenneth's head, the Goddess lunging out of the way at the last possible second.

The wyven was stunned, having crashed face first into the snow bank. It hadn't been able to change it's course, Lenneth's lunge that sudden and unexpected. This wyvern was young, only days old though it's body was that of an adult. Newly created by Lezard, it had not yet had the time to develop the cunning and intelligence wyverns were known for.

She almost felt bad for challenging such an inexperienced creature. But wyverns, even stupid ones, were big and troublesome enough to make an encounter a deadly one. Even for the most prepared of warriors.

Continuing to twirl her sword, Lenneth watched as the wyvern lifted it's head out of the snow. It would then whip around, agile for the great size of it's body. Its jaws would snap, the creature trying again to bite Lenneth. This time when she leapt out of the way of it's mouth, she allowed her sword to scrape over the rough edge of it's scaled body. The tiny, iridescent scales would spark, many chipping, some falling off at her sword's pass. But there was too many of them to do true damage to the wyvern. She needed to get to it's underside, where the soft belly wasn't protected by those scales.

The wyvern screamed in anger, head seeming to follow her everywhere Lenneth retreated to. Always that mouth was trying to bite her, the creature keeping Lenneth on constant move. She'd take advantage to do testing thrusts, but the scales always prevented her from piercing flesh. Instead of being frustrating, it was exhilarating, Lenneth's face alight with her excited feeling.

She'd duck and roll past another attempted bite, sword slicing at the underside of the wyvern's throat. Even there it was scaled to protect it from the claws and fangs of another predator.

The dance would continue, Lenneth's sword slashes doing nothing but to further infuriate the wyvern. It wasn't giving her the chance to strike at it's belly, the wyvern staying low to the ground. It's wings had curled up against it's body, the creature walking about like a grounded dragon. That bought it time, but there was another way to try and kill it. A way that didn't necessarily guarantee success on the first try, Lenneth leaping onto it's head. The wyvern would give a violent shake of it's head, trying to knock Lenneth off it. Using one hand to grip one of it's ears, Lenneth would drive the point of her sword into the closest eye of the wyvern. It would let out a pained howl, which almost drowned out the sickening squelch of it's eyeball being ruined.

But blinding the creature wasn't her only intent, Lenneth driving her sword in deeper. Breaking past the barrier of flesh located behind the wyvern's ruined eye, Lenneth trying to stab her sword into where it's brain was located. It would be better if she had a spear, her sword proving too short to reach her target.

Enraged, and screaming in pain, the wyvern was shaking. Thrashing about in an attempt to hurt Lenneth. It would actually roll, trying to crush her under the weight of it's body. Pulling her blood covered sword free of the eye socket, Lenneth just barely got out of the way in time. The wyvern would roll back onto it's legs, it's wings unfurling. Infuriated as it was, it had not had enough of being hurt. It was out for revenge, and attempting to stay out of reach so that Lenneth could not take out it's other eye.

It was a stupid move. The wyvern had protected it's eye, but now had exposed it's vulnerable belly. Without hesitation, Lenneth did an upwards thrust of her sword. The flesh over the wyvern's belly tore easily enough, blood splattering on Lenneth along with things better left unidentified. Her expensive dress was further ruined, Lenneth all but bathing in the blood as she hacked away at the dying creature.

The wyvern would let out one final scream, trying to fly away from Lenneth. It would not get far, it's wings losing the strength to move. She'd watch it, but not feel much satisfaction as it crashed into the ground. The fight had simply ended too quickly for Lenneth's anger to abate. Lenneth burned for more opponents, and she would get them, the wyvern letting out weak cries that let all the monsters that remained in the area know it was dying. Already answering cries were heard, monsters coming. Some would be weak things, more scavenger than predator. But others would be vicious monstrosities, creatures that wanted to take over the territory of the wyvern.

Lenneth would take them all on, blood spurting as body parts were severed. She'd lose herself to a state where nothing existed but the thrill of the battle, her sword arm constantly moving. The scavenger creatures would flee once they realized Lenneth wasn't a meal they could have. The other monsters were not as smart, not even after witnessing how she killed others like them.

She would be in the midst of hacking off the many tentacles of one such creature, when she felt it. Power so strong it could be no other, Lezard arriving on the scene. For one all too brief moment, he was speechless, just watching her fight with a flabbergasted expression on his face. The few monsters that remained, paid no mind to Lezard. They were too focused on Lenneth, too busy trying to catch and kill her.

That would all end after one creature's claws came close to severing off nearly half of Lenneth's hair. The anger that came off of Lezard was potent, an energy she could feel with nearly all her senses. Absolutely furious, Lezard sent out his power, ether blasts slamming into the monsters around her. None of that deadly energy would come close to striking Lenneth, Lezard's aim precise and without fault. The ether would destroy the monsters down to their last molecule, leaving nothing but sparkling dust that was quickly blown away by the ever present wind.

Calm now, Lenneth turned to face Lezard though she did not drop her sword. Truthfully, Lenneth was not sure she would not use it on him. Especially if he was to make another lust driven attempt for her lips!

But he wasn't wearing that frightening look of ravenous desire. Instead he was frowning, looking downright disapproving of what she had done. Lenneth wondered what bothered him more. That she had left him, or that she had killed some of his pet monsters.

There was many things he could have chosen to say to her in the moment. He chose the most surprising, Lezard losing some of his frown to come towards her concerned. Lenneth was tempted to thrust her sword at him, to hold him at bay by her sword's point. Somehow she found the strength to hold still, to not react in violence. "Lenneth, the blood..."

"It's not mine." She said simply.

"Not all of it." His eyes had locked on to a part of her, the man staring at her left side. Lenneth looked down, and was surprised and more than a little dismayed to see one of the monsters had manage to rake claws over her dress and the skin it covered. She was in fact bleeding, and hadn't even been aware of it. "Didn't you know?" Lezard asked, glancing up at her face now. "Didn't you feel it when it happened...?"

"I..." She had been lost to the battle, her state of mind very similar to that of the humans who were called beserkers. When a human entered the berserker stage, for a time they had no awareness of any pain, no desire to do anything but fight and kill. Lenneth was no beserker, but she had been enjoying herself far too much to have noticed that something had landed a hit on her. "It's just a scratch. It will heal soon enough."

"This shouldn't have happened." Lezard grumbled, and now he was right before her. His right hand started to glow, gold ether dripping off his fingers. She didn't want him touching her, not even with the healing warmth of ether.

"They are dead now." She said, stepping back to avoid his attempt to heal her. "We both saw to that."

Lezard didn't try to touch her again, his body stiffening in displeasure. He understood what her retreat meant, how Lenneth would prefer to bleed a while longer rather than accept his aid. "You could have been hurt a lot worse..."

"You saw it yourself. I was handling things." Lenneth told him.

"Yes. I don't deny that. Nor has your skill with the sword ever been in question." Lezard retorted. "But what I'm wondering about is why you felt the need to do this." His arm gestured to encompass the bodies that remained, the proof of the monsters she herself had killed. "What point did it serve?"

"There was no point to be made." Lenneth answered. "I simply had an excess of energy, and needed a release. Wife now I may be, but I would not have my skills with the sword fade."

"Would that I could believe you on that..."

Lenneth narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you calling me a liar?"

"Not exactly, no!" Lezard said quick enough. "But I do think you are trying to run from what happened, from the feelings that I stirred so recently." She said nothing to that, knowing he would not like what those feelings had been. "Lenneth..." His smile seemed almost nervous. "I didn't mean to...frighten you."

"I WASN'T FRIGHTENED!" She snapped with forceful protest.

"Ah of course." He reached up to adjust his glasses. "But perhaps it was unsettling?" That she could accept and acknowledge, Lenneth giving the slightest of nods. "Forgive me." He said softly. "I really didn't intend to take things that far..."

"There is nothing to apologize for." Lenneth said tonelessly. "You are my husband. It is your right to want to touch and kiss me."

"You say that, but you haven't accepted it in your heart yet." Lezard pointed out. "And until you do, I need to control myself better..." She wondered if he could, especially after seeing the depths of how badly he wanted her. The doubt must have shown on her face, for Lezard gave her a sad smile. "You don't think I can, do you? But Lenneth, if you ever feel things are moving too fast, that I am about to do something you don't want, please. Feel free to hit me."

Her eyes widened just the slightest, Lenneth wondering if he really meant what he had offered her. She supposed she wouldn't find out, until the time came, and he tried to do something Lenneth found intolerable. "All right. I will." Lenneth was absolutely serious as she acknowledged what Lezard had said. But it didn't make her feel better, or safer, the Goddess knowing for all intents and purposes Lezard could change his mind in the heat of the moment.

Her troubled thoughts must have been reflected on her face, Lezard losing all traces of his smile. He couldn't know for certain what she was thinking, but Lenneth bet he could guess. She wondered if it really bothered him, or if it was all an act that attempted to ingratiate himself to her. But she had no way of finding out, Lenneth having to guess much of what Lezard's true character was like where she was concerned. Time would do much to help her discover the truth of him, to end these guessing games and doubts. But time was the one thing Lenneth did not have, Asgard and Midgard continuing onwards, ever closer to ruin.

To Be Continued...

I feel kinda an abrupt ending...I know. X_X And I got my Lenneth hacks apart Lezard's guardian pet monsters scenes! I didn't expect it to happen so soon, I thought something else would be the catalyst. But then I realized it was perfect for this chapter! So yay me!

Michelle

Ruvian, thanks. I write fast enough though! Just don't always work on the fics people want me to work on, since I am part of two fandoms! If I write any faster, I fear the quality of my writing would suffer. I much rather have quality work than quantity, you know? But I'm glad you like my stories!


	18. Chapter 18

There had been little need to linger outside, to remain among the corpses of the monsters. There was little to do on the level of his world that served as it's entrance, the land barren and cold, devoid of any true enjoyment. Even Lenneth had had to reluctantly concede to that idea, her sword having killed a majority of the monsters in the immediate area. But she hadn't been happy about the return to their living quarters, the Goddess immediately stepping away from Lezard's side upon their arrival.

"I need to get clean." Lenneth would announce, and there was little Lezard could do but agree. His Goddess was covered in blood, her dress baring large splatters of it that had yet to dry. It made it difficult to tell what had been the original color of her dress, the blood soaking into so much of the fabric. And yet Lenneth wasn't repulsive to him, not even covered in such gore. It merely served as a reminder of her warrior spirit, the fierce Goddess who was first and foremost a fighter at heart.

"All right." She hadn't needed his agreement, Lenneth already stalking out of the room. He'd note she took her sword with her, the Goddess surely still spoiling for a fight. For all the monsters she had killed, Lenneth had yet to exorcise the demons that had driven her to the battle. It didn't take much speculating to guess as to what had stirred her upset so much, Lezard letting out a weary sigh once Lenneth was gone from the room.

He had upset her with his earlier loss of control, with the excitement and desire that had colored his expression. His trembling hands had been unable to keep from touching her, Lezard closing his eyes now as he remember the soft feel of her cheek against his fingers. Or the lush feel of her bottom lip, his thumb having caressed over it where his lips could not. Lezard had wanted to kiss Lenneth, had desired that and more with every fiber of his being. It was a desire so intense it could have proven dangerous, Lezard sure he wouldn't have been satisfied with a kiss alone.

Even as his control came dangerously close to snapping, Lezard had managed some restraint. Settling his hand in her hair, to pet over the silken strands instead. It hadn't been enough to satisfy him completely, but it had calmed some of the desire making demands inside him. The near look of fright in Lenneth's eyes had also worked it's magic, Lezard managing to back off from her.

It had almost been a relief when she left him. He had still been struggling for composure, still trying to get himself under control. It was why Lezard hadn't immediately set out to find Lenneth, the man remaining where she had left him. That she had fled from him wasn't that surprising, Lezard understanding Lenneth could have done a lot worse than to leave him behind. The extent of her violence towards his monsters was proof of that, Lezard understanding Lenneth could have attacked him directly rather than that of his creatures.

Even with that knowledge, Lezard couldn't help but admire how Lenneth had looked, fighting a number of his guardian pets. She had been ruthless, as hard as the steel of her sword, actions vicious and precise. It hadn't shown in her expression, but Lezard had gotten the feeling Lenneth had been enjoying killing his monsters. She had been taking solace from the fight, the battle doing much to calm whatever unsettling feelings had festered inside her.

Lezard could have been content to watch her battle for hours. But that was before one of the creatures had come close to severing most of Lenneth's hair. A rage had filled him, Lezard reacting as though that attack would have been a deadly or disabling one. It had been almost on instinct, the power converging into the palms of his hands. Within seconds he had unleashed it, his aim true as each and every monster that still remained alive was obliterated. Such was the amount of power Lezard had used, that the ether ate up all remains of the monsters, leaving nothing but dust particles behind.

The anger would not fade completely, Lezard realizing one of the beasts had manage to lay claws on Lenneth's side. It was a wound that had bled, the Goddess refusing his attempts to heal her. It was clear by the way she had evaded him, that Lenneth had not wanted Lezard to touch her. If his desires had still been running out of control, they would have been quelled into behavior at Lenneth's attempt to retreat from him. And all because Lezard had realized to what extent he had disturbed Lenneth with his earlier yearning to kiss her.

It hadn't helped things when Lezard had called her on that fright, Lenneth's anger mounting in response. She was too proud to ever admit outright to him the feelings she had had in response to his desire, but they both were aware of the upset that had been stirred inside her. And try as Lenneth might, to pretend she was all right with those desires of his and what the meant for her, she simply wasn't ready. He had known that, and yet the rejection still stung. Lezard wanted so badly, craved and needed Lenneth with an intensity he had never before felt for any other living being. It was near unbearable to go without her, to have to be satisfied with what little contact she allowed between them. It left him starving for her, a man presented with a feast he could not partake of. And yet Lezard would not bungle things by rushing headfirst into bed with Lenneth. Better to starve now, than to be forever denied the love she was capable of giving him.

Once again he had to remind himself to be patient. To call upon his reserves of strength, the same patience and motivation that had allowed him to concoct and follow through on his scheme to become a being that was equal to Lenneth. To some, the hardest part of his endeavors would have been the facing of Odin, the taking of his power. But in truth, winning Lenneth's heart, getting her to return the love Lezard felt for her, was the true challenge. Lenneth was an opponent like no other, able to render Lezard weak with just a look. Too bad for them both, that weakness could prove disastrous!

It would only grow harder as the days passed, especially as long as Lenneth continued to hold herself apart from him. They hadn't even had a week together yet, and already Lezard was struggling to behave. Greedy for anything she could give him, how much longer before looking and talking would not be enough? But he couldn't afford to think like that, couldn't allow himself to just take what he wanted. Lezard had to maintain both his patience and control, keep his wits about him as he set out to properly court Lenneth. It was a slow but they had all of eternity to come together. Better to spend it happy, than to botch things so badly that Lenneth would spend forever hating him.

On one hand it was easy to understand this. But his practical side seemed to be muffled by his base interest, his desire flaring to life even stronger upon Lenneth's return from bathing. She had put on a pale cream colored gown, the cut of it leaving her shoulders bare. The material cinched at her waist, the fabric straining tight over her curves. To Lezard, she could have been wearing baggy burlap, and he still would have wanted her. How much worse was his need, when presented with this provocative sight, Lenneth's hair now braided back so that none of it fell forward to shield her from his eyes.

The sword was gone from her hand. He wondered what it's absence meant. Had Lenneth calmed down from her earlier upset? Was she at ease enough to be around him without it? But she did not move towards him, Lenneth maintaining the distance between them.

Lezard knew he shouldn't, knew he should respect the barrier Lenneth tried to erect between them. But he could no more stay away from her, than he could stop breathing! Within seconds of her arrival into the bedroom, Lezard was at her side, giving her a nervous smile she did not return. Lenneth did not try to back away from him, but he couldn't be cheered by her standing her ground. It might be a matter of pride without her, the fierce warrior not wanting to appeared cowed by her opponent. If that was the case, Lezard would gladly take any advantage her warrior's pride gave him, taking this opportunity to stand close to her.

But not too close, Lezard remembering his earlier thoughts on how it might be wise not to touch Lenneth until he got used to the sensations his divinity now gave him. But he was close enough to pick up on the fresh clean scent of her, the floral scented soap she had used during her bath. Her hair had not dried completely, wet and braided, it would be wavy once released from it's confinement.

Aware he was staring at her, nostrils flaring to pick up more of her scent, Lezard couldn't force himself to step back. But he did speak, his tone solicitous as he inquired after her well being. "Your wound, it is better?" He already knew the answer to that question, for no blood seeped through the cream covered fabric of her dress. But it was as suitable an opening to conversation as any, Lenneth nodding in return.

"Yes." She said. "It has begun to heal, the skin mending back together."

There would be no scar. His monsters weren't such as could leave a permanent mark on a divine entity. Only divine metal could do such a thing to another God, or one of the four treasures of Odin's world. It wouldn't have mattered to Lezard if Lenneth did get a scar, for the injury would not have taken away one bit from her beauty.

"Good. I'm glad." He said out loud.

"It wasn't a very serious wound." She continued.

"And yet it bled." He pointed out. "And for some time!"

"I've had worse." Lenneth informed him, tone grave.

That roused his interest, Lezard ever curious about Lenneth and the life she had led before him. "Oh?" It was a questioning sound, Lezard trying not to let his eyes look over Lenneth from head to toe. Tight though the gown was, it would not have revealed any injuries or scars she might have retained, and the look would have served nothing except to come off as insolent. "Really now?"

"Yes. Queen Hel's minions are a vicious lot." A wry, humorless expression then. "Especially when armed with cursed blades that were formed from divine metal their queen had stolen from the heavens."

His scholarly interest was aroused, Lezard raising a brow in surprise. "Oh?" He said. "I had not realized those accursed blades were made of such precious metal."

"To a mortal, the divine metal would cut just as deep as a sword forged from less pure materials." Lenneth told him. "But Hel would not waste her reserves of divine metal on anything less than a God."

"Ah, so she does not have an inexhaustible supply of that metal?" Lezard asked.

Lenneth nodded. "No. She has had to fight and steal for every bit of it she can get. Odin..." Her expression darkened at the God's name, Lenneth giving a shake of her head. "The Gods would be foolish to allow Hel unlimited access to the deposits of such precious metal. The Queen knows no end to her ever reaching ambitions...she'd slay us all if it meant she could claim the heavens for her own." A sigh then, "She's not the only one."

"Ever coveted is the throne of Creation." Lezard said knowingly.

"Yes, you would know that well." Lenneth retorted, anger in her tone and expression.

"Hardly." Lezard protested. "I never desire to rule. It was not Odin's crown that drove me to such lengths..." But the truth of his reasons was just as disturbing, Lenneth making an unhappy face. It was clear Lenneth did not like the fact that she, herself, had motivated Lezard to slay her King.

"Be that as it may..." Lenneth said, after a pause. "You have it all the same. And others will not hesitate to take it from you."

A small smile from him, Lezard almost teasing her then. "Is that concern for me, that moves you to speak?"

"Just cold hard fact." Lenneth retorted. "You've elevated yourself to a position you'll have to defend constantly..."

"I am more than capable of doing just that." Lezard told her. "Did I not defeat the God of all Gods?" A curt nod from her, Lenneth radiating disaproval. "Any who would dare challenge me, are but fools...and easily disposed of."

"Take care that you, yourself are not so foolish that you become overconfident." Lenneth warned him.

"Odin was the overconfident one." Lezard replied. "But I will take your warning to heart." Again he smiled, to show his pleasure in response to her concern. He didn't dare fool himself into believing Lenneth liked him. Certainly not anymore than she had had, an hour ago. But that she could voice any type of warning, it made him think they were progressing closer towards something more than just tolerance.

"You will do as you please, I'm sure." Lenneth said, tone stiff and disapproving.

"I would be a fool to ignore the advice of one as battle hardened as you." Lezard quickly replied.

She didn't go so far as to agree with him on that, Lenneth ever still cautious around him. But she gave him a calculating look, as though the Goddess was trying to take in his measure. He wondered what she thought in the moment, if she found him lacking in some way.

"What?" Laughter was in his tone, but Lezard was nervous under Lenneth's inspection. "Why do you look at me that way?"

"I'm just trying to imagine it." Came her surprising answer. "Just trying to figure out how one such as you, could defeat Odin..."

"Ah that." His hand raised, fingers reaching to adjust the glasses on his face. "A lot of it had to do with luck and surprise."

"I don't put much stock on luck." Lenneth told him.

"But what else could it be?" He challenged. "I was extremely lucky. To go so long, beneath your King's notice? To live long enough to acquire and amass the power needed, and the knowledge? There are so many variables that could have led to my undoing. If Odin had been just a little more alert to something other than Silmeria and Dipan..." Lezard shrugged then, acting as if it didn't disturb him the idea of how easily he could have been destroyed in Odin's place.

"You caught him by surprise..." Lenneth said slowly. "But Hel and the others will be aware of and prepared for you."

"Let them come." Lezard was dismissive. "If they can get past the rigors of this world I have created, I'll welcome the chance to hear their concerns."

"It will not be to talk to you, that they come to this world!" Lenneth exclaimed. "You will have to fight, and kill...and I can't help but think the same tactic you used on Odin, will not be as effective on those who know enough to be wary of you!"

He paused, wondering if she had a point. Wondering what would happen if he wasn't able to work the soul transfusion spell in the midst of dodging blades and ether attacks. The time he had gone up against Odin, the God had been busy fighting, killing the princess of Dipan and the half elf. He had barely paid any attention to a mage who was casting one last desperate spell.

Lezard could well recognize that luck and chance had played a huge factor in his win. Distracted with the others, it had bought Lezard the time needed to chant and concentrate the magic into the spell needed to take out Odin's soul. There was no guarantee that a take down of another God would be as easily a won battle as the situation with Odin had proven to be.

"What would you have me do then?" Lezard asked, and his soft question seemed to take Lenneth by surprise. He couldn't know the internal struggle that went on inside her, how the Goddess was weighing carefully what she should and should not tell him. Nor did he suspect she had ulterior motives for bringing the conversation to this point, Lezard more concerned with watching the way she licked her lips in nervous anticipation.

"The divine treasure..." She finally answered. "You must train with it...learn how to effectively wield it." Again that nervous flick of her tongue, a motion that should have been betraying towards Lenneth's true intentions. "I would...offer up my instruction. Working together, in no time at all, you would become proficient in wielding the lance."

It was tempting. Lezard could almost imagine the closeness that might come forth from spending hours training under Lenneth's command. But as badly as he wanted to advance their relationship, to obtain the closeness and intimacy of a true marriage, Lezard still hesitated. It was a hesitation Lenneth noted, the Goddess speaking once more.

"You are a mage." She pointed out. "What do you know of battling with anything other than spells? Lezard, you need to learn...you need to do more than just learn. You need to become an expert at wielding Gungnir..."

"Why would you bother?" Lezard asked her, staring searchingly at her. "Why would you even care to see me succeed against those who would challenge me?"

She delayed answering long enough for the blink of her eyes. "Because..." Lenneth maintained the gaze between them, her stare level and without falter. "If you are to be displaced, then what will happen to Freya and the Aesir?" Lenneth gave a sad shake of her head. "Hel and Surt would not be as merciful as you have been."

He told himself he shouldn't be, but Lezard was still disappointed. He hadn't expected a love confession from Lenneth, but it would have been nice if she had been even the slightest bit concern with HIS well being, than that of the Aesir. "So...you still do everything you can to protect them." Lezard was almost murmuring that, fighting his disappointment.

"I always have." Stated Lenneth. "And I always will."

"I will hope for the day you show such devotion to ME." Lezard told her. "But until then, I suppose I will have to content myself with what I can have from you."

Those words set her instantly on guard, Lenneth's eyes holding a nervous light to them. "And that is?" She demanded, tone holding a hard edge to it.

He smiled, though knew that expression would do nothing to set the Goddess at ease. "Companionship." It was a word loaded with nuances, and could lead to a dozen different interpretations. "And of course, those lessons you propose to give me."

"You will allow me to instruct you?"

"Yes, of course. You're right you know." Lezard added. "I have much to learn if I want to keep my crown. I will have to rely on other methods than just magic, and indeed I need to learn more about my own powers if I am to effectively rule over Creation." He smiled again at her. "There is a saying among the mortals."

"Oh?"

"Behind every great man, there is a woman." Lezard told her. "There's no doubt in my mind, that with you at my side, Lenneth...I will achieve a greatness that puts Odin to shame." And Lezard would do it too, all because he wanted to prove himself worthy of Lenneth. To make himself worthy of her love, and her devotion. That the rest of Creation would worship him mattered not, Lezard seeing the adulation of the lesser beings as merely an incidental side effect of winning Lenneth's heart.

To Be Continued...

*insert usually whining about ending lines*

Michelle


	19. Chapter 19

It was with some amusement that Lenneth noted how quick and eagerly Lezard took to the idea of training under her. He'd go so far as to expand their living quarters, a new room being added among the old. This new space was among the largest, encompassing the width of several rooms in size, with it's ceiling extending high above them so that a good eighty feet of room was available all around. The space was more than adequate for their purposes, allowing for much maneuverability both on the ground and in the air for the fighting that would take place.

It was a room meant for training, the floor, walls, even the ceiling made of a soft, almost rubbery material. It wasn't apparent when standing on it, the floor feeling almost like hard wood. But when Lenneth stamped her foot, the impact was immediately absorbed, the floor warping to cushion without hurting her. It was the same for the walls, Lenneth having punched a fist in several different places. The wall would take the impact without so much as jarring her fist, and Lenneth instantly understood that no lasting damage could truly happen in this room. To both the combatants, and to the room itself!

It was ridiculously cautious. A God could heal just about any injury, and the potential damage to the room was just as easily fixed. Lenneth thought Lezard was still thinking too much like the human he had once been, the man too concerned with injury and death. But then, she supposed it would take more than a just a few days passing before Lezard could commit to a new way of thought where life and pain was concerned.

He was a God now, for all that Lenneth and the others might protest that fact. And with that divinity came a certain protection against being injured, and even death was all but impossible for one such as Lezard now was. Of course he could be hurt, but that would take an extensive amount of power and determination, and more than a little luck on his opponent's part. He was even harder to kill, his immortality limiting the damage most weapons could do.

A dangerous man even when mortal, he was doubly so now as a divine being. How much worse did he stand to become, once Lezard could effectively use his new powers? She shuddered to find out, and yet Lenneth would not stray from the course she had set into motion. For all the danger there was in training Lezard, there was a chance, slim though it was, to find and expose a fatal weakness.

Lenneth was aware that much of what Lezard had accomplished, he had done so though luck and effort. He had bumbled his way through using Odin's powers, into subduing the Gods of Asgard with that stolen might. That there hadn't been more deaths caused by Lezard's hands, was nothing short of a miracle! It left her certain that should the Gods mount a rebellion against Lezard a second time, they would not be so fortunate as to avoid fatal causalities. But before that could happen, Lenneth was tasked with the duty of discovering any and every weakness Lezard might have that they could use against him. She had not had much luck on that front, but there was another side to her duty. Gungnir. The divine lance, one of the four treasures that were the heart and stable of all of Creation. Without it, Asgard was in danger, the realm perilously close to cracking apart and falling out of the sky over Midgard.

Lezard had taken possession of the divine lance at the same exact moment he had made off with Odin. There had been a brief period after where Lezard had apparently fought with many of the Aesir of Asgard. Gungnir had not been seen since, and not even Lenneth had had the privilege of laying eyes upon it. That stood to change, and soon, the Goddess sure Lezard would bring out the lance for this training of theirs. Lenneth wanted to do more than just see it. She wanted to lay hands upon it, to take it and return it to where it belonged. Even if the cost of that return would be the end of her life, Lenneth was determined to try. To make a play for Gungnir at the first available opportunity.

It was safe to say Lenneth was as nervous as she was determined, the Goddess feeling an anxiety the likes of which she had never experienced before. So much was riding on today, so much could happen to change the fate of Midgard and Asgard. It all came down to her, on her ability to be quick and crafty. Physical strength had no real effect on the theft she must attempt, a shame really when Lenneth was more used to brute force than the sly subterfuge she had been expected to excel at these past few days.

Lenneth would be glad when this was all over. If she should survive what was to happen, and Freya and the Aesir stood victorious over Lezard, Lenneth would be allowed to return to her normal duties. The life of a Valkyrie maiden choosing and training souls, seemed so much easier than the life she had been living as Lezard's bride, and Freya's lackey. As just a Valkyrie, there would be no unreasonable demands placed upon Lenneth. She'd be used for her sword, not her body, not for any sex appeal Freya imagined Lenneth had where Lezard was concerned!

Lenneth could not even say Freya was entirely wrong on that front. Lenneth had after all, witnessed the look in Lezard's eyes, the hunger in his expression as he had touched her. It had disturbed Lenneth strongly, to the point she had had to flee or do something damaging. It was frustrating to have to hold back, to have to tolerate Lezard and his intentions towards her. But Lenneth, and more importantly the realms, could not afford any set backs. The mission had to continue forward, she had to play nice in order to lull Lezard into a false sense of security.

It seemed to be working too, if she judged his quick agreement to the training to be any proof of that. Lezard was so eager to spend time with her, it made him just a little easier to manipulate. It made Lenneth's hopes increase, the Goddess thinking she might not have to go through with any attempts at true seduction with Lezard after all! And that was a very good thing in Lenneth's view, the Goddess still thinking how her skin crawled whenever Lezard drew near.

She had that feeling now, that unpleasant tingling of unease that alerted her to the fact that Lezard had entered the room. He hadn't said a word yet, nor had he teleported. But she could feel the power emanating off of him, the energy signature that was the difference between a mortal mage and a divine being. It was a difference that was unique to the Gods, their very being composed of power that was as natural to them as the blood in the veins was to the humans. Lezard felt like Odin, but with enough subtle differences to form a new signature that was uniquely his own.

"Lezard..." Lenneth turned towards him, but the greeting died down before it was truly formed. The fledgling God was standing framed in the entrance of the newly created room. For once he was not so dressed up, having ditched the heavy cape, and expensive jacket for a much simpler garment. Instead Lezard wore a plain white shirt, that was tucked into the dark gray slacks he had on. The sleeves of his shirt were fastened closed at the wrist, and his collar was open just enough to flash the front of his throat.

It wasn't the clothes that was so surprising. Lenneth herself had changed into something far more practical than any of the many gowns Lezard had sought to outfit her with. Nor was the nervous smile he gave her as off putting as the surprise, and quick disappointment that filled her upon the immediate realization that Lezard was not carrying Gungnir with him.

Her reaction showed on her face, Lezard's smile disappearing as he self consciously tugged at one sleeve. "Do I look that...strange?" He asked.

"No." Lenneth said, recovering enough to speak. "Just different from what I was expecting."

"Different in a good way?"

She merely shrugged in response, having no real answer to give him. Nor did Lenneth try to be too obvious as she once again glanced towards his empty hands. Lezard noticed all the same, giving her another nervous smile.

"I thought it would be best..." He began, walking towards her. "If we stuck to more mundane weapons for this."

Lenneth knew she couldn't protest too much, not if she didn't want to arouse Lezard's suspicions. So she merely nodded instead, grateful she didn't have to fake a smile she did not feel. "If that is what you wish..."

"I mean...there's not much than can hurt a God..." continued Lezard. "But Gungnir IS one of the four treasures, and as such holds the power capable of killing a divine being..." Now in touching distance of each other, Lenneth was pleased to see Lezard refrained from all impulse to lay hands on her. "Even a scratch from it, could prove fatal..."

Realization dawned within her. "You don't want to hurt me..." Lenneth watched as Lezard nodded, his flustered response causing him to bring a hand to hastily steady the glasses on his face. The careful preparations he had taken in creating this room, now made even more sense to her. It wasn't Lezard's own body he was concerned with protecting, so much as Lenneth's. It was almost touching, but if Lenneth felt the slightest warming within her, it was quickly swallowed back down by the cold purpose she was filled with.

"You won't." Lenneth said, though where that spoken confidence came from she could not say. She certainly didn't feel it, nor did she believe in Lezard's capability to not hurt her. Especially not after the deceptions she had planned.

"How can you be so sure? If the slightest accident were to happen..." A pained expression was on his face now, Lezard truly distressed at the thought of Lenneth falling victim to Gungnir's attacks. It was that distress that let Lenneth know her chances of convincing Lezard otherwise, were slim to none. But she had to try, even if her efforts would amount to nothing in the end.

"If you are to ever become effective at wielding Gungnir, let alone become the divine lance's master, you must practice with it." Lenneth told him. Lezard still looked uneasy at that, nodding slowly.

"Of course I understand that. But I also understand this. It takes time to master such a thing. Just as it took time for me to learn my craft as a mage, a warrior is not born in a single day. They must start somewhere, and that somewhere is usually with a less fiercesome a weapon than Gungnir!" Lezard moved past her, and Lenneth turned to track his movements. He walked over to the nearest wall, where a rack stood against it. That metal frame held an assortment of weapons, things Lenneth had dismissed as unimportant since no mystic or divine energies radiated off of them.

"Now..." Lenneth watched as Lezard lifted off of the rack, two long lances. "I know this is not your preferred weapon but..." He casually tossed one of the lances to her, Lenneth easily plucking it from the air. "How better to teach me the art of it, than to use one yourself?"

"Indeed." Lenneth nodded her agreement, already giving a testing swing with the lance she held. Both ends were sharpened to a deadly point, the silver steel gleaming. This was no dulled weapon she had been given, the lance able to tear through clothing and skin with ease. Blood might be spilled today in this room, though the two Gods would quickly heal of any injuries they gave each other.

Holding the second lance now in both hands, Lezard seemed to be waiting patiently for Lenneth's command. Theoretically, she knew where the instruction should start, but Lenneth was curious. She wanted to know just how well Lezard could wield this type of weapon, and if it had been mere luck or some type of skill that had allowed him to best so many of the Aesir under Freya's command.

"Let's start by showing me what you CAN do with that lance." It was not so much suggestion as direct command, Lenneth already shifting into a warrior's stance. The sapphire tunic she wore, easily allowed her legs the movement and maneuverability one of Lezard's gowns would not have. There would be no skirts to trip over, or to get tangled up in, Lenneth dressed for combat and eager for a fight.

"All right..." Lezard agreed, shifting himself into a defensive stance, lance held diagonally before him. Lenneth held back her frown, not having expected Lezard to defend this early on. She wanted him on the offensive, to show her what skill if any he possessed in wielding a lance of any kind. Just as she thought that, Lenneth wonder if it was possible Lezard didn't know how to initiate an attack with such a weapon. It made her wonder if he had spent the time fighting the Gods completely on the defensive, relying on Gungnir to guard him.

Gungnir was a divine treasure, a lance like no other. Lenneth could easily envision how the lance had kept others from breaking through Lezard's defense, but now he had no such aid. The lance both Lezard and Lenneth wielded, were mundane in means, something a human would very much rely on. Lenneth meant to school him on that reality, the Goddess suddenly lunging towards him, intent on shattering his defense and his lance. She made not a sound, not even a warrior's cry to alert him as Lenneth moved with blinding speed towards him.

She felt the impact jar it's way all through her arms up to her shoulders. Lezard had not moved from his spot, save to use his hands to bring the lance upwards to meet and clash together with Lenneth's lance. His lance held together, though it seemed to groan in protest from the weight of Lenneth's weapon. She'd continue to exert pressure on it, determined to split it in half by sheer force of will.

She'd never get the chance, Lezard using an upwards push of his arms, that sent Lenneth stumbling back. Her footing uncertain, it would have been the perfect time for Lezard to attack her. To Lenneth's surprise he did not, the man merely waiting for her to regain her footing. Lezard would shift again, still maintaining his defense, as he returned the lance to it's earlier position before him.

Her eyes swept over him, Lenneth studying everything from the way he stood, to the way his hands gripped the lance in a white knuckle grip. His amethyst gaze was staring at her, Lezard looking as intent on her now as he had ever been besides her on the bed. Lenneth did not quite narrow her gaze back at him, ready to rush him again. At the last possible second, Lezard's arms would move, lance moving to once again defend the blow that was coming. His lance would meet air, Lenneth having teleported out of the way.

She'd appear behind him, ready to stab the point of the lance against the center of his back. Lenneth was frowning as she did this, sharpened tip ready to tear open the back of Lezard's shirt, when he turned. At this point she expected him to swing his weapon at her, Lenneth pulling back her lance in preparation to defend a blow that did not come.

"Don't tell me you just stood there while the Gods of Asgard swarmed you!" Lenneth snapped, finding herself immensely annoyed that Lezard wasn't making any attempt to attack her.

"Not quite." Was his answer, Lezard once more defending against her lance's attack. But defend was all he did, the man never taking the initiative to strike at Lenneth. By the time fifteen minutes had passed, Lenneth was openly glaring at him. She felt as though he was making a mockery of her, and of the other Gods, with his refusal to do anything more than stand there and endure the weight of her lance against his. She wasn't sure if he was teasing her, or if it was out of real concern for Lenneth, that he made no attempt to truly fight. Whichever the case, Lenneth had had enough, the Goddess all but growling as she swung her lance at Lezard's chest.

Predictably, he moved to guard against that swing. It left him open in other areas, Lenneth flinging out her right leg in a strong kick. Lezard's eyes would cross as her foot connected with a place that was considered delicate at best, the man nearly dropping his lance to stagger forward.

"I did not expect you to fight so dirty..." Lezard managed to groan out, in a pitch that was higher than normal for his voice.

"And I did not expect you to not fight at all!" Lenneth snapped back, tempted to smash her lance into his face now. Somehow, she refrained from further abusing him, though the glare would not leave her face. "Where is the power, the fight in you? Where is the man who not only took down Odin, but left all of Asgard quaking in his wake?"

Lezard had recovered enough to straighten up, a frown crossing his lips. "He is not a man you want to meet." Was that a warning tone he was using? "Nor have I ever wanted to use such force against you!"

Another woman might have been flattered by his care, but Lenneth was more angry than anything at the moment. Some part of her registered Lezard feared hurting her, but it was overridden by her need to see how truly capable he was at fighting with something other than spells. "Spare me your needless and unwanted concern! If you are a God, the King of all Creation no less, then act like it! Odin wouldn't have backed down from a threat, wouldn't have feared hurting a woman. Even Freya would pay if she so dared raised up a hand against him!"

"I can't say then that I have much in common with that dead king of yours!" Lezard retorted. "But then Odin never struck me as a very loving man, even towards Freya!"

"When it comes to true combat, there can be no room for such feelings, no softhearted and tender mercies!" Lenneth told him. "When a God truly fights, it is to kill or to be killed. To tie up your personal feelings with your weapon, it is sheer folly!"

"Trust me Lenneth, when I say I will not have that problem when it comes down to acting against those who would seek to betray me." Cold assurance was in his voice, his next words doing little to chase away the ruthlessness of his words. "I keep what is mine." His hard edge stare bored into hers, Lenneth understanding that Lezard consider her part of that belonging.

It was an uneasy realization, Lenneth coming to understand Lezard never intended to let her go. It hadn't seemed possible before this, even with the marriage, and the blood bond shared between them. Perhaps to comfort herself, Lenneth had insisted on thinking she was just a passing fancy for this madman. Someone to be used, and then quickly forgotten. But in the days since her arrival in this closed off world, the time spent with him was allowing Lenneth to see how this was more than just lust for Lezard. She wouldn't, downright refused to classify it as love. But Lenneth could grudgingly admit Lezard had a strong obsession with her. An obsession that had led him to do what was once thought impossible. It was an obsession that had already proved dangerous, and Lenneth didn't want to think how much worse Lezard could become if he thought she was about to slip through his grasp, or even fight against and betray him.

Holding back the uneasy shudder that wanted to shake her very being, Lenneth allowed a small, curving smile. It wasn't a true expression of happiness, more taunting smirk than anything. Lenneth would shift her stance, finding a tenuous middle ground between aggression and defending. With only one hand holding onto the lance, Lenneth use her other hand to gesture Lezard towards her in open invitation to attack.

"Come at me then!" If that wasn't goad enough, her next words were almost mocking. "Prove to me if you are capable of keeping all that you've claimed."

Behind the panes of his glasses, Lezard's eyes narrowed. He wasn't angry, but he seemed bothered by the challenge. Annoyed even. His own smile was almost as mocking as hers, and Lenneth felt the change in him. Without voicing the words, Lenneth had the feeling Lezard not only intended to prove his capability, but to make her regret ever issuing the challenge in the first place.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Ruvian, yes get clean meant take a bath. Sorry, no goddess of love or love potion for Lenneth. That would ruin the story and the plans I have for them.

Dropping an anvil, I love how idiots like you somehow think by writing such things that (A.) you're going to get me to stop writing Lezard Lenneth stories and (B) assume my fics is the perfect place for you to get on your soapbox and rant and rave like the lunatic you are. If a pairing of a fanwork, or even a character you don't like getting attention, ruins your life and enjoyment, I strongly suggest you find another hobby. It's clearly too much for you to handle. Just got play your games, and never look at fanworks again, cause somewhere out there, something is bound to upset a loser like you. And if you continue, grow some balls and sign in with your account name. But I suppose you can't stomach the thought of that either! XD BTW I'm female not male.

Alpha Huntress, hello my little master reviewer! *love that* XD Glad to see you make your triumphant return to the Vp realm! *throws confetti* Yeah...hopefully spending time with him, will get Lenneth to see a different side to Lezard than what Freya would tell her! Sometimes I fear the time limit might work against me...I'm not sure how long to give Midgard and Asgard, as I don't want it to seem too rushed but neither do I want it to seem like it delayed too long. But then, Lezard might be fixing some of that in a future chapter. (Shhh spoiler territory!)

Ha, as you can see in this chapter, Gungnir was very much on her mind! Still hoping if she gets that, she won't have to play the seductress in Lezard's bed! XD And that's a very smart observation, that she wouldn't be able to act in a convincing way if she did seduce him at this point and time. Poor Lenneth! Stuck between a rock and a hard place with Freya's orders...

Glad you seem to like the mentions of Lenneth's sisters, and the comparisons between the three Valkyries. Yes, yes! Lezard has to be very careful too! Lenneth so is his weakness! Freya doesn't even realize how much a weakness Lenneth is, or she would probably do a lot worse than order Lenneth to sleep with Lezard. The Lenneth sleeping parts...I have something in mind, but the damn reveal to it keeps getting pushed back. Now I worry it was stupid, (That which you don't know yet.) but I'm scrambling to adjust. It also involves introducing someone else into the mix...but that veers into spoiler territory again.

I'm laughing over the thought of Lezard having to steal food! XD It just strikes me as funny! I can't rally say anything about Silmeria either way, without hitting the dreaded spoilers. XD The mistakes of his love life, I was mainly alluding to the first game. The whole wanting to stuff her in a homunculus, killing Lorenta and her husband to lure Lenneth to him, that sort of thing. Sorry if it wasn't clear. ^^''

The blood bond...I have an inkling of an idea...but don't know if I will expand on it. We'll see how the story you know, if Lezard succeeds in changing the past so Lenneth falls in love with him, the future changes too! Yay! I think most Lucian lovers would rather rip out their own eyeballs than read a Lezard Lenneth fic. They're literally blinded to the truth about him!

Er uh oops. I so did not think of that aspect, of Lezard as a spirit having to get used to flesh again better understanding what it would have been like for Lenneth if he stuck her in a homunculus *sheepish look* Oh my goodness, your response to the stab with a fork moment, had me cracking up! XD I had so much fun with sixteen too! XD Ah truthfully I've been worrying about if the reveal happens about when and where Lezard really comes from. I've been thinking he never reveals the truth of his origins, cause every time I imagine him revealing it for real to her, it goes all wrong in my head. -_- So we shall see how the story develops. Glad you didn't totally hate that eye opening view of Silmeria. And thanks so much for all the reviews! :D


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